This year’s San Diego Comic-Con revealed Marvel’s plans to bring The Fantastic Four back to the big screen — hopefully with more success than 20th Century Fox’s previous two attempts. The Fantastic Four: First Steps won’t be released until sometime in 2025, but Stranger Things actor Joseph Quinn, who will play Johnny Storm in the film, teased an update in a recent interview that also included a tongue-in-cheek response about Quinn’s preparation for the role.
MCU fans are already looking forward to this new iteration of The Fantastic Four, given that previous attempts to depict the superhero team have ended in abject failure. However, not much is known about the film besides the cast, which includes Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/The Invisible Woman, Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing, and, of course, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm, aka the Human Torch. In an interview two days ago with L’Officiel USA, when asked how he prepared to play a character with the ability to control fire, Quinn gave this witty response:
That’s a good question. I’m setting myself on fire quite a lot, on my balcony. I just get a big tub of gasoline and just douse myself in that.
Although his methodology was intended to be taken less-than-seriously, Quinn did share some genuine enthusiasm for the role. “It was definitely my favorite gang out of the Marvel Cinematic Universe,” he added. “I remember watching those films when I was younger and really enjoying them, and I’m very lucky to be one of them.” You can check out the full interview below:
Quinn’s Contributions to the MCU and Beyond
There are a lot of expectations hinging on The Fantastic Four: First Steps, but Quinn’s description of the film as “a wonderful experience so far” indicates that this adaptation may finally be heading in the right direction. Speaking to ComicBook earlier this year, Quinn added, “We’ve got a wonderful gang on it with Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, to name but a few. I’m very excited.” He also praised both the script and the director, WandaVision‘s Matt Shakman, as “fantastic.” With so much enthusiasm among the cast, it’s hard not to have high hopes for The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
But even if Marvel’s take on The Fantastic Four doesn’t quite meet fans’ expectations, Quinn still has a full schedule to look forward to. Marvel has already slated members of The Fantastic Four for at least two more future films, and Quinn has also been cast in an undisclosed role for Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland’s upcoming A24 war movie, which at the moment remains untitled.