The upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, may feature an extended runtime, making it one of the longest Marvel films in recent years.
According to a listing by UK-based Odeon Cinemas (via GamesRadar+), First Steps is expected to run 2 hours and 20 minutes. If accurate, this would make it the longest MCU film since 2023’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which had a 2-hour, 30-minute runtime.
While Thunderbolts—the MCU film preceding First Steps—has yet to confirm its runtime, The Fantastic Four currently holds the record for the longest MCU movie in two years.
MCU’s Recent Shorter Runtimes
Since Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Marvel has generally kept its runtimes shorter:
• The Marvels (2023): 1 hour, 45 minutes (Shortest MCU film ever)
• Deadpool & Wolverine (2024): 2 hours, 8 minutes
• Captain America: Brave New World (2025): 1 hour, 58 minutes (Shortest Captain America film)
A Fresh Take on The Fantastic Four
Directed by Matt Shakman, First Steps marks the MCU’s first take on The Fantastic Four, following mixed results from previous adaptations. While 2005’s Fantastic Four and Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007) were box-office successes, they failed critically. The 2015 reboot, starring Miles Teller and Michael B. Jordan, was a notorious flop with a 9% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Set in the 1960s, First Steps kicks off MCU’s Phase Six and follows Marvel’s first family as they battle the cosmic entity Galactus (Ralph Ineson) to protect their retro-futuristic world. The star-studded cast includes:
• Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic
• Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/Human Torch
• Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman
• Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing
• Julia Garner as Shalla-Bal/Silver Surfer
• John Malkovich, Natasha Lyonne, and Paul Walter Hauser in undisclosed roles
A Highly Anticipated MCU Blockbuster
Excitement for The Fantastic Four is already high. Its first trailer was one of Marvel’s most-viewed ever, and the film will set the stage for Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, in which the Fantastic Four are confirmed to appear.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps hits theaters on July 25, 2025.
