As anticipation builds for Marvel Studios' highly anticipated "The Fantastic Four: First Steps," the film continues to generate buzz among fans. Recently, Ryan Meinerding, Head of Visual Development at Marvel Studios, unveiled early costume concept designs on social media, offering audiences a first look at details and styles that diverge from the final cinematic version. 
Meinerding shared the images on Instagram, stating that these designs were the team's initial attempt to imbue the characters with a "retro sci-fi film vibe." He also noted the deliberate integration of Jack Kirby's iconic geometric shapes from the comics into the background technology. Meinerding mentioned that part of the inspiration came from Kirby's classic depiction of The Thing lifting giant machinery within a laboratory setting.
The unveiled concept art reveals that while the costume designs largely resemble the final film versions, numerous subtle differences exist. For instance, black boots and belts add a more pronounced layered look. Furthermore, the distribution of white sections varies across Mr. Fantastic (Reed Richards), Invisible Woman (Sue Storm), The Thing (Ben Grimm), and Human Torch (Johnny Storm), giving the team a less uniform appearance.
Notably, only Mr. Fantastic sports a blue collar in the film, a detail whose reason remains unexplained. Fans anticipate the upcoming "Art of" book will shed light on this creative choice.
Beyond the main costume designs, Meinerding also revealed early concepts for the team's space suits. He shared multiple storyboards depicting the quartet's first confrontation with Galactus's imposing figure within his colossal temple, further emphasizing the film's cosmic scale and grand visuals.
"The Fantastic Four: First Steps" is set in a vibrant 1960s retro-futuristic world. The film stars Pedro Pascal as Mr. Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn as Human Torch, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as The Thing.