Marvel’s First Family just touched down in Johannesburg—and at Disney’s South African premiere of Fantastic Four: First Steps at Eastgate, excited comic book glee filled the air. It’s been a rocky road for the Fantastic Four—especially after the 2015 misfire—but this new chapter is a serious upgrade. The film trades crossover chaos for character-driven storytelling and gives its stars room to breathe in a comic-accurate, family centred delight.

Set in a 1960s retro-futurist New York crackling with all of the cosmic radiation you would expect of Earth 818, First Steps, much like DC’s latest outing with Superman, ditches the tired origin-story formula, freeing up vital space in the first act and skipping straight to the good stuff. The aesthetic is refreshingly bold (think The Jetsons meets what Back to the Future Part II envisioned 2025 to be), and it gives the film a vibrant identity all of its own. It’s a visual swing that lands beautifully, especially on the IMAX screen.

Pedro Pascal leads the charge as the expectedly brainy, but emotionally buttoned-up Reed Richards, while Vanessa Kirby portrays a focused and strong-willed Sue Storm. Joseph Quinn’s hot-headed Johnny Storm, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach’s gravelly but golden-hearted Ben Grimm round out a cast that feels like the real, messy, loving, dysfunctional superhero family we have all been waiting to see on the silver screen for years.

And then there’s Galactus. Pulling off a villain that eats planets is no easy feat, and could easily lean eerily close to the comic book cheese zone, but director Matt Shakman manages to make him genuinely frightening. Ralph Ineson’s deep, rumbling voice coupled with jaw-dropping scale work makes Galactus feel like a truly cosmic threat. Seeing him unfurl across the screen is one of the most visually awe-inspiring moments that Marvel has delivered in years.

Julia Garner’s Silver Surfer adds a mysterious spark to Johnny’s famously flirtatious arc, while a certain Mole Man cameo steals several scenes. Comic book die-hards will also spot some delightful Easter eggs with Fantastic Four #1 from 1961 getting arguably one of the most well-placed and satisfying nods.

Best of all, First Steps truly stands on its own two feet. No tedious homework, or multiverse crash-course required. And while the film wraps up its arc neatly, the mid-credit scene is definitely worth hanging around for. No spoilers but tighten your seatbelts. What’s coming next will be huge.