The Fantastic Four: First Steps director Matt Shakman has no time for negative fan reactions to the Marvel movie’s VFX: ‘The visuals are beautiful’

• The Fantastic Four: First Steps director has responded to criticism of its visual effects
• Matt Shakman gave a polite but abrupt reply to fans who’ve reacted negatively
• Critics who’ve seen the Marvel movie are unanimous in their praise of its CGI

Matt Shakman has given a blunt response to anyone who’s reacted negatively to The Fantastic Four: First Steps‘ visual effects (VFX).

Speaking to TechRadar, the Marvel movie’s director gave a polite albeit direct 10-word reply to fans who’ve said they’re less than impressed by some aspects of the film. Of particular note is its computer generated imagery (CGI) and special effects, which have come in for some criticism since the first trailer for First Steps was released in February.

For one, reactions to Reed Richards’ elastic superpowers and the Silver Surfer’s aesthetic, both of which were unveiled in First Steps‘ official trailer, were mixed when said footage dropped in April. Then there’s those who initially found fault with how The Thing looks. Oh, and let’s not forget how many folks hit out at how Giganto, one of the first villains that The Fantastic Four fought in the comics and who’s expected to appear in First Steps, looked in a *checks notes* promo tie-in advert for the Little Caesar’s restaurant chain.

Ahead of the Marvel Phase 6 film’s release, I asked Shakman for his thoughts on said criticism and whether he and First Steps‘ hundreds-strong VFX team felt weighed down by it.

“I think the visual effects look beautiful in this movie,” he replied frankly.

Now, some readers might think Shakman is dodging the question and/or giving a stock answer that tows the company line.

However, numerous individuals who’ve already seen one of the most anticipated new movies of the year, including critics, have reacted positively to the VFX in the final cut. Threads on the r/MarvelStudios and r/MarvelStudiosSpoilers sub-Reddits are full of social media posts from journalists praising the CGI and other special effects, so it seems the initial negativity to these elements of the film was overexaggerated.

Okay, the reactions in the aforementioned Reddit threads are just a fraction of those who’ve seen the final Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movie of 2025. Nonetheless, the fact that there’s people hailing First Steps‘ VFX is evidence that it’s not as bad as some fans feared, and that it just needed a little polish and refinement ahead of launch.

You can judge for yourself when the latest Fantastic Four big-screen reboot arrives in a cinema near you on Friday, July 25. In the meantime, read my definitive guide to The Fantastic Four: First Steps or check out the section below for more pre-release coverage of the forthcoming superhero flick.

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