SDCC ’25: The Process of Adapting Fantastic Four Comics for Screen

by Shaun Manning

With Fantastic Four: First Steps opening in theaters literally right in the middle of San Diego Comic-Con, it should not be a surprise that Marvel devoted several panels to hyping up the brand-new entry in its cinematic universe. On Saturday afternoon, Editor-in-Chief C.B. Cebulski hosted a panel directly addressing the comics to screen process, with panelists Tom Brevoort, Marvel’s Executive Editor and the editor of Fantastic Four; Jonathan Hickman, a former Fantastic Four writer currently penning Ultimate Spider-Man; Marvel Studios Head of Visual Development Brian Meinerding; and Grant Curtis, Marvel Studios Executive for Production and Development.

The panelists began by discussing the clear influences of Jack Kirby in their design choices, especially for HERBIE and the Thing. Meinerding noted that, in Kirby’s own interpretation of Ben Grimm, “he got to work on it for so long and perfect it,” and the Marvel Studios team enjoyed bringing this vision to life.

“One of the things we also looked at is the Thing’s brow is a very unique thing to shoot cinematically,” Curtis said. He added that the crew had to do a lot of tests to make it look like realistic and also allow actor Ebon Moss-Bachrach to use the full range of facial expressions.

“You really get Ebon’s performance through his eyes,” Curtis said.

Cebulski mentioned that, even though the Thing’s rocky appearance is done largely through CGI, Meinerding built a model for reference, including clothes and shoes, “which were massive.” Meinerding said these physical models helped him see “how the costume draped over those rocks,” to further ensure the physicality would feel real.

Curtis said he initially had doubts about these physical models, especially when Meinerding wanted to build a physical costume for Galactus rather than trusting CGI. “What I love about being a producer is when I’m wrong, because when I’m wrong something cool happens,” Curtis said.“When I’m wrong, you watch Ralph [Ineson] walk onto the Worldship as Galactus and your jaw drops.”

Looking back to his start on Fantastic Four, Hickman admitted he hadn’t been a fan before being hired to write the series but read up on the characters to find what makes them tick. Cebulski recalled that when Hickman first attended one of Marvel’s writing retreats where editors and writers typically knock around ideas for the next 18 months or so of stories, Hickman “pulled out a stack of Moleskines and said basically here’s the start of my eight-year plan.” This made then-Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada skeptical of Hickman’s suitability for Fantastic Four, and he talked to Brevoort about this after the meeting. But, after seeing Hickman’s first issues, “he got it right away.”

Curtis, too, cites that first arc, “Solve Everything,” as an inspiration for First Steps, along with “The Coming of Galactus” and Fantastic Four #1. “Fantastic Four has been popular for sixty-plus years, and this is the story that started it all.”

On the decision to use the Shalla-Bal version of Silver Surfer rather than the more well-known Norrin Radd, Curtis said that “it really came down to story,” and Shalla-Bal fit better with the family themes of First Steps.

Julia Garner in “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” (Disney)

Meinerding also discussed his “tarnished mirror” design for the character, “to communicate that she’s been the Silver Surfer for so long, like millions of years.” Curtis noted that the lighting “would change her look” depending on the angle and what she’s reflecting. “Seeing her in above the Earth, seeing her in Times Square, seeing her on the ship” alters the Surfer’s appearance.

After showing a video of Marvel’s publishing talent including Dan Slott, Ryan North, and Chip Zdarsky visiting the London set of Fantastic Four: First Steps, enthusiastically exploring the Baxter Building and hanging out with HERBIE, Curtis said that he received another great vote of confidence at the premiere, where one of Jack Kirby’s granddaughters told him that “my grandfather would have loved this movie.”

Stay tuned to The Beat for more coverage from SDCC ’25.