New ‘Fantastic Four’ Film to Take Inspiration From the Optimism of the 1964 World’s Fair

Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios, revealed that “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” is heavily inspired by the optimism of the 1964 New York World’s Fair.

1964 World’s Fair to Inspire ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’

Person wearing a blue cap and jacket, seated and speaking on stage with a blue background projected behind them, reminiscent of scenes from the 1964 World's Fair.

During the “A Beautiful Tomorrow – Just a Dream Away: Disney at the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair” panel at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige made a surprise appearance to discuss the upcoming “The Fantastic Four: First Steps.”

During the panel, Feige shared his love for EPCOT and why that love inspired him to go down a rabbit hole about the 1964 New York World’s Fair. Feige and other creators of the upcoming Fantastic Four film were so inspired by the 1964 World’s Fair, that they committed to including the event’s architecture, music, and optimism in the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe film.

The image is a promotional poster for Marvel Studios' "The Fantastic Four: First Steps," featuring the official title in blue text against a beige background.

There won’t be an actual fair in the movie, but the world of the film will look as if the World’s Fair had become the standard after 1964. The goal of the film both stylistically and from a story perspective is to hammer home the idea of positivity when looking toward the future without any heavy cynicism.

A man wearing a light blue shirt and green cap speaks into a microphone while seated on stage, reminiscent of the charisma one might find in the Fantastic Four. His image is displayed on a large screen above.

Michael Giacchino, who has provided the music for numerous Disney, Marvel, and Pixar films such as “Zootopia,” Spider-Man: Homecoming,” and “Coco,” will score the upcoming film. He echoed Feige’s comments. He stated that the 1964 World’s Fair is such a massive inspiration for the film that the theme will be the first in the MCU to be written in a major key.

Also shared during the panel was an emotional video of Disney Legend Richard M. Sherman performing “Make Way For Tomorrow Today” from “Iron Man 2” and “Captain America: The First Avenger.” Sherman, who passed away earlier this year, and his late brother, Robert B. Sherman, composed “It’s a Small World” for the 1964 New York World’s Fair.

“The Fantastic Four: First Steps” is scheduled to release on July 25, 2025. New costumes were shared during the Disney Entertainment Showcase on August 9, 2024.

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