The Fantastic Four: First steps The director revealed how he has shot scenes that are supposed to take place in space – and what differentiates these sequences from other Cosmic Marvel films, including Galaxy goalkeepers.
In an interview with Techradar, Matt Shakman admitted that he had not used a Zero Gravity simulator (Zero-G) to film sequences that involved the fantastic four towards space via their Excelsior Star ship. The group does it a few times in the film, with the most notable space set piece by seeing them face Galactus in deep space after threatening to destroy their world. You can find out more about the reasons why he wants in my review The Fantastic Four: First steps.
It was during this intense intergalactic sequence that the film crew needed to make the feeling of weightlessness for the eponymous team.
Indeed, while they flee in their spacecraft (the Excelsior) after trying without success to negotiate with Galactus, the quartet is forced to act on the fly while they try to escape the capture. Thereafter, there is no time to put themselves in their seats, hence the need to carry out their actions in zero-G.
So how did Shakman and Company reproduce the lack of gravity for this sequence? And what is the approach they adopted that separates it from tastes Galaxy goalkeepers?
“One of the things I really wanted to do is imagine the fantastic four as Apollo 11 astronauts,” said Shakman. “When they enter space, it’s zero gravity. It’s not like GuardsWhere they can walk in their ship as Star Trek. I wanted it to feel as real as possible.
“But the shooting of zero gravity is difficult,” added the director of the film Marvel Phase 6. “This involves a lot of work work and it is difficult for the bodies of the actors. It is very difficult for them to be able to play and do what they have to do, while dealing with this kind of physical discomfort. So, even if it was a wonderful thing to execute and give life in an authentic way, it was difficult.”
This scale of this challenge is more remarkable if we consider the quantity of work in filming a sequence like this.
#Thefantasticfour: First steps is 88% fresh certified on the Tomatometer, with 83 reviews: pic.twitter.com/bwhjdzufmnJuly 22, 2025
To start, more than 10,000 feet of thread and nearly 30 wire platforms were necessary inside the Excelsior. The cockpit and the fuselage of the ship were physically built First step“The production team to further highlight the commitment of the crew to use sets and practical effects as much as possible.
Once the actors depicting the first Marvel family were hoisted in harnesses and attached to various ceiling tracks via the aforementioned threads, they learned to push the whole itself without swinging harshly. This would expose the wires and make cables more difficult during the post-production phase.
Finally, puppeteers in gray costumes helped control the speed and movement of each actor and allow them to hit their marks. Add to the fact that each star had to remember their lines an act really during this sequence, and you really have an idea of the way it was demanding for the whole cast and the team to perform successfully.
Fortunately, all their hard work is paying in the final product. It will be interesting to see if a similar configuration will be used in future Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) projects, including Avengers: Doomsdaywhich is currently in production and could include one or more sequences of space. You can find out more about the aforementioned film via my dedicated Avengers: Doomsday hub.
There are less than 24 hours (at the time of publication) until First step is in theaters, so get your last last minute blow by reading my ultimate guide for The Fantastic Four: First steps. Also read the section below for more exclusive coverage.
