The Fantastic Four, Jurassic World, and Rome, Oh My

February 5, 2025

Summer movie season is just around the corner and that means we are starting to get our first looks at the coming blockbusters. For history fans, two are particularly relevant: The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Jurassic World Rebirth.

I’m especially excited about The Fantastic Four. Studios have tried for years to get the first family of Marvel right and just haven’t figured it out. But based on the trailer below, I am really optimistic. The casting looks pitch perfect and based on what we’re seeing, appears to have tremendous chemistry. Pedro Pascal feels right for Reed Richards, though this may be Vanessa Kirby’s movie. I know less about Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/the Human Torch, but he seems to have the youthful exuberance for the role. And I’d pretty much watch Ebon Moss-Bachrach in anything (though I’m wondering if we’ll get to hear him year “Cousin!”). This is also Marvel’s first period film, and OH MY GOODNESS it looks amazing. Marvel definitely needs to emerge from its post-Endgame slump and I think this is the movie and franchise that will do it.

I’m less excited about Jurassic World Rebirth. At some point, Jurassic Park suffers from the same affliction as Jaws: you can only get the dinosaurs to do so many things. When Jurassic Park erupted onscreen in 1993 it blew audiences away with its effects and the inclusion of velociraptors, which until that point were not well known to general audiences. John Williams’ score is arguably his best, if not then certainly among them. The film overwhelmed moviegoers in sheer spectacle. It remains, in my mind, a perfect film. But the franchise suffers in terms of the law of diminishing returns. There’s only so many times you can shock and awe an audience. Will people buy Scarlett Johansson as a mercenary? I dunno. Jonathan Bailey appears to be a better it for the franchise. And of course, there’s another kid in this film. Ugh. But maybe you get a different feeling from the trailer below.

Finally, yesterday saw the launch of Sarah Bond’s new book on Roman history, Strike: Labor, Unions, and Resistance in the Roman Empire. Yale University Press is offering a discount code on this. Use code Y25SEBST for 30% off.

Alright, that’s it today. Which movie are you more excited about? Tell me in the comments. And we’ve got a, um, rocking new podcast coming tomorrow so stay tuned.

Be good out there.

Jason