See the 2025 ‘The Fantastic Four’ Cast Side-By-Side with the Original Stars – ryan

News of Marvel’s upcoming Fantastic Four movie has many fans excited thanks to its retro style and talented cast that includes Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby. But the Fantastic Four franchise has had quite a wild ride throughout its cinematic history.

So far, there have been three theatrically released Fantastic Four films and one famously unreleased movie from 1994. The Fantastic Four first hit movie theaters in 2005 with a powerhouse A-List cast that included Chris Evans and Jessica Alba.

After receiving a 2007 sequel, the franchise was completely rebooted in 2015, this time starring Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Bell.

Now, another reboot, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, is hitting theaters on July 25, 2025, and it’s taking a much different approach than the previous films. The first Fantastic Four comic debuted in 1961, and the new movie will return the beloved superheroes to their ’60s roots, offering up a period film full of retro flair.

“I love the space race, Kennedy-era optimism of that world,” director Matt Shakman told ScreenRant in 2023. “The idea that we can solve all of our problems, that we can, through the right heart, the right mind, and the right technology, conquer any problem.”

With the new reboot on the way, here’s a look at the Fantastic Four cast side-by-side with the actors who previously played their roles.

Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic)

Ioan Gruffud was the first to officially helm Reed Richards (aka Mr. Fantastic), the head of the Fantastic Four and the boyfriend of fellow superhero Sue Storm. Reed’s desire to experiment with cosmic clouds in space leads to an explosion that leaves the group with powers, including Reed’s own ability to stretch his body and limbs.

The 2015 reboot featured a much younger cast, interpreting the characters as college kids instead. To that end, Teller played Reed and saw the role not as the fatherly figure he was in previous installments but as a young man.

Now, Pascal is helming the role. This time around, the character will be more similar to the comics than the 2015 version.

Pascal stepped out with the new cast in July 2024 when they surprised fans at San Diego Comic-Con, telling the crowd that he was most excited about the “new family” he was building.

Originally from Chile, the actor first gained notability for his recurring role in season 4 of Game of Thronesand his first major role came in 2015 when he starred in the hit Netflix crime series Narcoswhich ran until 2017.

Now, he’s known for his work in Max’s The Last of Us and 2024 blockbuster Gladiator II.

Sue Storm (Invisible Woman)

In the first franchise, Alba helmed the role of Sue Storm (aka the Invisible Woman). After the incident, Sue develops the ability to become invisible and even produce force fields. She’s also the older sister of Johnny, who becomes one of the Fantastic Four.

Mara played the role next in 2015’s movie, even finding love on set with Bell. The two married in 2017 and have two kids together, a daughter born in 2019 and a son born in 2022.

Kirby is the latest to step into Sue’s shoes, starring in the film alongside Pescal as his girlfriend. The actress is originally from England, where she’s starred in a number of projects, including the 2011 BBC miniseries adaptation of Great Expectations.

Her first major Hollywood role was in the 2015 adventure survival film Everestwhich centered on the 1996 Everest disaster that took the lives of numerous mountaineers. The following year, she portrayed Princess Margaret in The Crown and in 2018 she joined the cast of Mission: Impossible as the White Widow and has since starred in three of the franchise’s films.

During her appearance at San Diego Comic-Con, Kirby gave fans a sneak peek into how she was bonding with her castmates — especially fellow Brit Quinn, who plays her on-screen sibling.

“I don’t think I’ve laughed so much in a rehearsal period before,” she said. “When you read the comics, you feel a lot of joy… hopefully we can bring that into the movie.”

Johnny Storm (Human Torch)

Before he became the iconic Captain America, Evans famously played a different Marvel character: Johnny Storm (aka the Human Torch), the youngest of the Fantastic Four who is able to engulf his body in flames like a giant torch.

The actor even reprised his role in a cameo in 2024’s Deadpool & Wolverinewriting on his Instagram Stories after the movie released that he was especially thankful to lead actor Ryan Reynolds for “making it all happen.”

“Playing Johnny again was a dream come true and he’ll always have a special place in my heart,” Evans wrote.

In 2015, Jordan took over the role before returning to the Marvel universe as Killmonger, the villain in 2018’s Black Panther.

Quinn will be the third actor to star as the fiery (literally) hero, telling PEOPLE in June 2024 that he was “inspired” by his predecessors’ portrayals and felt he had “big boots to fill, twice.”

“They’re both brilliant actors and did the amazing job with their interpretation of Johnny,” Quinn said. “So I think it’s a question of trying to find something … well, not different. It’s going to come from me, I guess.”

Quinn gained fame as the hard-rocking Eddie Munson in season 4 of Stranger Things before going on to star in two 2024 blockbusters: A Quiet Place: Day One and Gladiator II.

Ben Grimm (the Thing)

In 2005, Michael Chiklis played Ben Grimm (aka the Thing), a friend of Dr. Richards who takes part in the space experiment. The superhuman radiation he receives turns him into a hulking rock-like creature with superhuman strength.

Bell became the next Ben in 2015 when he took over the role before passing it along to Ebon Moss-Bachrach a decade later. The actor, best known for his award-winning portrayal of Cousin on The Bearrevealed the moment he found out he was cast in a February 2024 appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

“I think I found out in the beginning of August,” he told the host. “I got a call from my agent, and I wasn’t thinking about work at all because writers were striking and actors were probably going to strike, and he said, ‘They asked you to play The Thing.’ ”

He continued, “And I remember I was on Fifth Ave. and 21st Street and I was so shocked and I was walking and the next thing I realize, I was right in front of Astor Wines, so I went in and bought a bunch of mezcal.”

Silver Surfer

In the 2007 Fantastic Four sequel, Rise of the Silver Surferthe reflective character was played by Doug Jones (with Laurence Fishburne as the character’s voice).

Silver Surfer starts out as an astronomer named Norrin Radd living on a planet called Zenn-La. After alien invader Galactus threatened the planet, Norrin became his herald in exchange for Zenn-La remaining untouched.

Now, Julia Garner is the new Silver Surfer in First Steps. Fans saw her in the role for the first time in a trailer for the movie that debuted in April 2025.