So… Hideo Kojima likes it.
And look, I know. Since when does a video game director weighing in on a Marvel movie actually mean something? But this is Kojima we're talking about—the man who made Death Stranding, who treats narrative like it's sacred geometry, and who can't look at a soda can without imagining its tragic backstory.
When he says something's “fantastic,” I pay attention.
Because it's not just hype. His take on The Fantastic Four: First Steps? It's a mini masterclass in how to actually watch a reboot. And his words carry the kind of enthusiasm that you can't fake—especially not in a media landscape saturated with half-hearted franchise CPR.
Let's get into why Kojima's endorsement isn't just fanboy noise… and what First Steps might be doing differently—finally.
The Game Designer Who Watches Like a Director
Kojima's not new to superhero films. Lately, he's been marathoning them like he's doing thesis work. He recently posted about watching Superman—the James Gunn one, the one that's supposed to kickstart the new DCU. His reaction? Meh.
“It was neither dark nor stylish, cool or even ‘super,'” he wrote.
Ouch.
But Fantastic Four: First Steps? He couldn't stop talking about it. The praise came in torrents: from its ‘60s-drenched visuals to its cereal boxes, its cars, its VHS-style media—every detail carefully crafted into a world that feels like The Jetsons crossed with Mad Men. Think retro-futurism with actual personality.
The cityscapes. The magnetic tapes. The freakin' soda cans.
This is a man who builds entire games around the sound of a delivery package hitting the ground. His standards for worldbuilding are astronomically high.
So when he says Marvel's latest film nails it?
You lean in.
A New (Old) Flavor in the MCU
Let's be honest—Marvel's been running on fumes. The Multiverse got confusing. The timelines got messy. The stakes? Incomprehensible.
First Steps doesn't try to out-bombast the last Phase. It rewinds the clock.
It opens with an in-universe TV show that summarizes the Fantastic Four's current status. Efficient. Fun. Stylized as hell. And instead of trudging through their origin story for the twentieth time, it starts after they've already become superhuman. The vibe? More The Incredibles than The Dark Knight.
Kojima likened the experience to watching Bewitched as a kid.
I mean… that's kind of perfect.
Because this isn't a film about four people who become superheroes. It's about four weirdos trying to stay human in a world that turned upside down. And the way it taps into nostalgia—without drowning in it—is kind of miraculous.
Post-COVID Superhero Burnout Is Real — But This Isn't That
You've felt it too, right? That creeping numbness during yet another sky-beam climax?
We've all hit the wall with superhero films. Darker didn't mean deeper. Grittier didn't mean better.
But First Steps has a mood shift that feels intentional. Not just lighter—but warmer. More stylized, less angsty. Characters that look like they belong on a cereal box, but move like they've read Watchmen.
There's sincerity here. Not irony. Not snark.
Kojima even points out how the movie's structure reflects a deeper thematic pivot. It's not just about a team forming—it's about a family gaining each other in crisis. And in 2025, that hits harder than it should.
You feel the shift. It's not just a reboot—it's a recalibration.
Pascal, Kirby, Quinn & Moss-Bachrach: The Casting Just Works
Quick shoutout to the cast, because damn—they carry this thing.
Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards is effortlessly odd. Vanessa Kirby radiates vintage charisma as Sue Storm. Joseph Quinn (who you might still see as Eddie from Stranger Things) brings the nervous energy, while Ebon Moss-Bachrach—basically everyone's favorite messy genius lately—nails Ben Grimm with a quiet emotional center.
They don't feel like cosplay. They feel like a team.
And that might be the reboot's greatest strength: It doesn't just introduce new actors. It uses them.
Superman vs. First Steps — And Kojima's Verdict
Now here's where it gets spicy.
Kojima didn't slam Superman, but you can read between the lines. His disappointment wasn't in the acting or the effects—it was in the lack of awe.
We used to “look up” to Superman, he wrote. Now? The camera doesn't even bother.
That's brutal. But it's true.
In contrast, he says First Steps starts at just the right moment: not when the powers arrive, but when the team gets real. A crisis. A spark. Something to build on.
As a “first step,” it's… yeah. Fantastic.
Why Kojima's Praise Actually Matters
Is it wild that a video game guy might be reading this movie deeper than most critics? A little. But that's also why it lands.
Because sometimes, you need someone outside the system to call out when something finally clicks.
Kojima sees First Steps for what it is: A film that knows where it came from, knows where it's going, and refuses to treat its audience like it needs a lecture on multiversal quantum flux core anomalies or whatever the hell Quantumania was about.
Just good characters. Strange ideas. And a world you want to step into.
Even if it smells like 1965 and runs on magnetic tape.
What Makes ‘Fantastic Four: First Steps' a Reboot Worth Watching
- Kojima's Endorsement Isn't Just Hype
His praise highlights the film's aesthetic precision and emotional rhythm. He's not just impressed—he's moved. - It Ditches the Origin Story Trope
Instead of rehashing how they got powers, it starts post-transformation—saving time, and giving the characters space to breathe. - The Retro-Futuristic Worldbuilding Is Fire
This isn't set in our modern MCU. It's a vivid, stylized 1960s-inspired world full of weird tech and warm nostalgia. - The Cast Feels Like a Real Team
Pascal, Kirby, Quinn, and Moss-Bachrach gel in a way Marvel hasn't nailed since the first Guardians movie. - It Marks a Welcome Shift in Superhero Tone
Post-COVID, audiences need joy—not just grit. This movie brings it, without getting corny or shallow.
Marvel may have stumbled a bit lately. But Fantastic Four: First Steps? It feels like the studio finally exhaled—and remembered how to tell a story with soul.
Go see it. Preferably with someone who still owns a VCR.
