The Fantastic Four: First Steps

NZ release: 25 July 2025

Violence & coarse language Rated on: 25 July 2025

fantastic four

What’s it about?

Whilst navigating their roles as superheroes and their newfound family bond, the Fantastic Four must defend Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer.

The facts

  • Directed by Matt Shakman
  • Starring Pedro Pascal (The Last of Us), Vanessa Kirby (Mission: Impossible – Fallout), Joseph Quinn (Stranger Things), and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Bear)
  • Runtime: 115 minutes
  • English language

Why did it get this rating?

This film was cross-rated by the Film and Video Labelling Body. You can find out more about cross-rating here.

Violence

The film contains violence at the level to be expected from teenager superhero action films. There is frequent peril, suspense, and destruction, with one scene depicting a mass evacuation of a city’s residents into underground shelters. There is not much onscreen death, but one character does die during an intense fight scene.

A massive alien entity consumes entire planets to satisfy his hunger. In one scene, he destroys an entire planet and all its inhabitants.

During the various fantasy-style fight sequences, opponents punch each other and fire blasts of energy and fire at each other.

A villain chases a woman seeking her unborn child as she goes into labour.

Coarse language

There is one use of the word “bullsh*” and three uses of the word “sh*t.”

When content stays with you:

We all have our boundaries, and it’s completely okay if something you’ve watched is weighing on your mind. If certain content lingers with you, consider having a chat with friends or whānau to debrief about what you’ve just seen. But if you’re still feeling affected, please reach out to any of the following helplines for support.

Further information

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