Posted in: Marvel Studios, Movies | Tagged: the fantastic four: first steps

The Fantastic Four: First Steps – Matthew Wood Will Voice H.E.R.B.I.E

The Fantastic Four: First Steps director Matt Shakman says H.E.R.B.I.E. is " absolutely as important and as alive as any other member of the cast."

Now that the dust is settling on Thunderbolts* The New Avengers, another Marvel movie will be here before we know. The Fantastic Four: First Steps has been highly anticipated since it was announced that Marvel's First Family would join the Marvel Cinematic Universe. For a very long time, we had no idea what they would look like or how they would approach this story, but when the early footage and story details came out, we knew we were in for a treat. Not just because the aesthetic of this entire world was going to be so much fun to explore, but also because it seamlessly allowed Marvel to integrate more, well, fantastical elements that might have felt a little out of place, initially, if the Fantastic Four were just dropped into the MCU. One of those elements is the Fantasti-Car, and another is H.E.R.B.I.E.

H.E.R.B.I.E., or Highly Engineered Robot Built for Interdimensional Exploration, was created for the 1978 animated series as the fourth team member due to a rights issue concerning the Human Torch. He was a Stan Lee and Jack Kirby creation and he eventually made the comics. H.E.R.B.I.E. first appeared in Fantastic Four #209 in May 1979 and was created by Marv Wolfman and John Byrne, and has been bouncing around the Marvel Universe ever since. Director Matt Shakman revealed to Empire that Matthew Wood would be voicing H.E.R.B.I.E. in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. "He's charming, he's funny — but he also will break your heart," said Shakman. "Which I hope is emblematic of the movie."

These days, everyone is always screaming about practical sets and whatnot, and we do know that Disney has one hell of an ability to build droids. We have seen that over at Lucasfilm, so if there was ever a time to collaborate, it's now, and there is a practical version of H.E.R.B.I.E. rolling around. SFX supervisor Alistair William explained how, "Our 'prime' one has fully moving head and arms. We've had him driving around the set, cleaning, picking up toys, serving Martinis…"

In terms of where H.E.R.B.I.E. fits in the story of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, according to Shakman, he's got a place. This isn't just a cute little robot they have rolling around so they can sell a million toys (though that will be an added bonus). Shakman describes H.E.R.B.I.E.'s role as "absolutely as important and as alive as any other member of the cast. He's sometimes a slightly put-upon robot, but he is definitely a member of the family. He's just so charming and adorable. … He is really Reed's right hand in the lab, capable of assisting him on any sort of experiment, always by his side, whether in New York City or out in space." If this movie hits, we have a feeling H.E.R.B.I.E. and versions of him could be a hot ticket item for Christmas.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps – Summary, Cast List, Release Date

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), Johnny Storm/Human Torch (Joseph Quinn) and Ben Grimm/The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) 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 Paul Walter Hauser, John Malkovich, Natasha Lyonne, and Sarah Niles. Directed by Matt Shakman, produced by Kevin Feige, and executive produced by Louis D'Esposito, Grant Curtis, and Tim Lewis, Marvel Studios' The Fantastic Four: First Steps opens in theaters July 25, 2025.

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