A stylized celebration of Marvel's first family, blending 1960s flair with futuristic imagination

July 26, 2025 – Marvel Studios’ Fantastic Four: First Steps has officially hit theaters, ushering in a bold new chapter for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. To mark the long-awaited debut of Marvel’s “first family,” Marvel Studios partnered with Perception — the Emmy-nominated design lab behind over 50 Marvel projects — to craft the film’s Main On End title sequence: a vibrant, nostalgic tribute to the Fantastic Four’s comic book origins.

Starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn, First Steps introduces a reimagined Fantastic Four grounded in a retro-futuristic 1960s New York City. Perception, whose relationship with Marvel Studios dates back to Iron Man 2, has helped shape the visual identity of the MCU for over a decade — designing iconic sequences for Avengers: Endgame, Black Panther, Moon Knight, Captain America: Brave New World, and many more.

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For Fantastic Four: First Steps, Perception created a stylized sequence inspired by Silver Age comics, mid-century modern aesthetics, and the analog charm of 1960s print culture. With bold color fields, halftone patterns, hand-cut textures, and classic grid layouts, the result feels authentically vintage — as if pulled straight from the pages of a Marvel comic.

At its core, the sequence is a celebration of the Fantastic Four — told through a rich collage of archival-style imagery, stylized footage, illustrations, magazine spreads, and newspaper clippings. It captures how the world within the film views Marvel’s First Family: not just as superheroes, but as cultural icons worth celebrating.

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“Authenticity was key,” says Doug Appleton, Chief Creative Director at Perception. “We asked ourselves, ‘What if this title sequence had actually been made in the 1960s, by visionaries who believed in a bold, brilliant future?’ That sensibility guided everything — from the illustration style and typography to the animation and pacing. Instead of modern 3D camera moves, we embraced a restrained 2D approach with linear transitions and simple movement, letting the design speak for itself.”

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Typography became a storytelling tool — with extended letterforms leading the viewer’s eye from frame to frame, threading together images in a continuous rhythm. Perception blended original illustrations with Marvel-provided assets, including alternate takes, behind-the-scenes footage, and B-roll, to create trading cards, tabloid clippings, vintage TV stills, and commemorative magazine covers. Each element was designed to make the world of the Fantastic Four feel tactile, authentic, and alive.

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Perception’s retro-inspired design for Fantastic Four: First Steps continues the studio’s long tradition of seamlessly blending cinematic storytelling with graphic invention — building immersive visual worlds that bridge nostalgia and bold new vision.

“Collaborating with Marvel on the Fantastic Four Main On End was truly a dream project. As the first family of comics, the Fantastic Four holds an iconic place in pop culture — and with our long-standing relationship with Marvel, they feel like family to us. Being able to continue the story through a 1960s-inspired lens was an incredible creative experience. We had a blast incorporating B-roll-style moments that gave the sequence an authentic, behind-the-scenes charm.” – Danny Gonzalez, Co-Founder, Perception

“It was an absolute honor for Perception to be part of this incredible film. Fantastic Four is deeply personal to me — it’s a love letter to Jack Kirby, whose work has inspired me my entire life (even my dog is named Kirby). As Marvel’s first family, the Fantastic Four marked the beginning of the legendary Kirby-Lee blitz that reshaped comics forever. His boundless imagination and creative genius shaped my passion for design and storytelling, and being able to help honor his legacy through this film was a dream come true.” – Jeremy Lasky, Co-Founder, Perception

For press inquiries, please contact:
hannah@experienceperception.com.


ABOUT PERCEPTION
Perception is a team of design visionaries brought together to architect the future of technology for cinema, and the world’s most innovative companies. The two founders, Danny Gonzalez and Jeremy Lasky, started the company in 2001 to pioneer a new era of motion graphics, becoming one of the first studios to blaze the trail of high-end visual effects all created on the desktop. In the last 22 years, Perception has evolved to break new ground in cinema and cutting-edge user experience design. The Perception team divides their days teleporting between the parallel dimensions of fantasy and reality. Whether working on the next superhero blockbuster or an intelligent and delightful experience for industries of the future, storytelling is at the very foundation of everything they do. Their work is deeply influenced by science fiction thinking—imagining bold futures and designing the paths to get there.


ABOUT MARVEL STUDIOS’ FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS
Set against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, Marvel Studios’ “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” introduces Marvel’s First Family—Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm/Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), Ben Grimm/The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and Johnny Storm/Human Torch (Joseph Quinn) as they face their most daunting challenge yet. Forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, they must defend Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer (Julia Garner). And if Galactus’ plan to devour the entire planet and everyone on it weren’t bad enough, it suddenly gets very personal. The action-adventure also stars Natasha Lyonne, Paul Walter Hauser, Sarah Niles and Mark Gatiss. Directed by Matt Shakman, produced by Kevin Feige, p.g.a., and executive produced by Louis D’Esposito, Grant Curtis, Tim Lewis and Robert Kulzer, Marvel Studios’ “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” opens in theaters July 25, 2025.