The Fantastic Four: First Steps: Trailer, cast, release date and will Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom appear?

Vanessa Kirby, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach pose on the press line for Marvel Studios' "The Fantastic Four" during San Diego Comic-Con. | AFP via Getty Images

The Fantastic Four are kicking off a new phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch and The Thing are back - as The Fantastic Four return to cinema screens later this year.

The blockbuster will be the 37th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), launching phase seven of the money-spinning franchise.

It’ll be the second reboot of the comic book characters, following the 1995 film starring Chris Evans, Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba and Michael Chiklis, which spawned a critically-panned 2007 sequel.

A 2015 reboot featuring Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Belll was also a critical and commercial failure.

But now Disney and Marvel hope they have found the magic formula to bring the much-loved characters to the big screen, with the first trailer released this week.

Here’s everything you need to know.

When is The Fantastic Four: First Steps being released?

The film will be released in cinemas worldwide on July 25.

What’s the plot of The Fantastic Four: First Steps?

The following is the official blurb for the film: “On a 1960s-inspired retro-futuristic Earth, the Fantastic Four must protect their home from being devoured by the cosmic being Galactus and his enigmatic herald, the Silver Surfer.“

Who is directing The Fantastic Four: First Steps?

Matt Shakman has been entrusted with directing the film, after great success at the helm of Marvel television series WandaVision.

What’s the cast of The Fantastic Four: First Steps

Here’s who has been confirmed to be in the film - and who they will be playing?

Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic
Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman
Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/Human Torch
Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing
Ralph Ineson as Galactus
Julia Garner as Shalla-Bal Silver Surfer
Paul Walter Hauser (character yet to be confirmed)
John Malkovich (character yet to be confirmed)
Natasha Lyonne (character yet to be confirmed)
Sarah Niles (character yet to be confirmed)

Where can I watch the trailer for The Fantastic Four: First Steps?

You can see the first trailer here.

There’s not a huge amount of detail yet - we get to see our heroes relaxing, Johnny Storm and Sue Storm using their superpowers (flaming and becoming invisible), and thier favoured form of transport - the Fantasticar. There’s also a firt look as robot H.E.R.B.I.E., The Thing cooking dinner, a long-haired John Malkovich, adn a glimpse of baddie Galactus.

Will Robert Downie Jr.’s Doctor Doom appear in The Fantastic Four: First Steps?

In the worst kept secret in superhero history, expect to see Doctor Doom in the post-credits stinger.

The appearance from the character played by a post-Iron Man Robert Downie Jr. will tee things up nicely for Avengers: Doomsday.

Another rumoured appearance is from supervillain Mole Man, but no details have been released as yet.