
You'll Be Able to Shoot People as the MCU Fantastic Four in *Two* Games This Week
Rivals, of course, has had the First Family around for a little longer, having introduced Reed, Sue, Johnny, and Ben over the course of its first season earlier this year. But the Fantastic Four have been in high demand for Fortnite for quite some time as Epic has leaned more and more into Marvel collaborations.
The entire team was conspicuously absent from Fortnite's latest Marvel-themed season, 'Absolute Doom,' last year, which revolved around their archnemesis Dr. Doom invading the game's battle royale island setting. Well, for the most part: eagle-eyed gamers realized that they could find the defeated remnants of the Fantastic Four littered around the map on display, from Reed tied up into a compressed ball in a display cabinet to, uh, Johnny's flaming heart. So it's nice to see them finally arrive in MCU form.
The four Fortnite skins, alongside emotes and other accessories, will be available to purchase this Friday, July 25, but can be earned for free by participating in a special squad-based Battle Royale Cup starting on Wednesday, July 23, where the top-earning squads will get to unlock all four skins for free.
Meanwhile, over in NetEase's team-based hero shooter Marvel Rivals, things will be a little simpler: all four MCU variant skins for Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, and the Thing will hit the game's store on July 25 as well, alongside a special in-game team-up inspired by the film between Human Torch and the Thing.
Unlike Fortnite's offerings, which replicate the likenesses of the MCU stars, the First Steps skins in Rivals (revealed with the launch of the game's third season earlier this month) will give the MCU costumes to Rivals' interpretations of the Fantastic Four, rather than completely alter their looks.
There are some fun cosmetic tweaks, like Rivals Reed trimming his beard to look a little more like Pedro Pascal, and Sue and Jonny matching their hairstyles to Vanessa Kirby and Joseph Quinn, respectively. But it's more like the Rivals versions of these characters getting to do a bit of movie cosplay rather than the MCU heroes jumping into Rival's multiversal scraps.
Either way, if you need to shoot people in a cosmic-ray-induced manner this weekend? You've got options.
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what's next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

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Tom's Guide
5 minutes ago
- Tom's Guide
When is 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' coming to streaming? Here's our best guess
"The Fantastic Four: First Steps" sees a new incarnation of Marvel's First Family making their big debut, and the MCU's final movie of 2025 seems to be another strong outing (after "Thunderbolts"). "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" takes us back in time to a retro-futuristic world, introducing us to the group — 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 defend the Earth from a terrifying presence: Galactus (Ralph Ineson). The movie's already on its way to success: at the time of writing, it's bested James Gunn's "Superman," earning a higher Rotten Tomatoes score than the DCU summer blockbuster. And, given the amount of hype behind "Fantastic Four: First Steps," box office success seems bound to follow. If you can't make it to the movies to see the new "Fantastic Four" movie anytime soon, we don't currently have a "Fantastic Four: First Steps" streaming date just yet. That said, below I've made an educated guess at when the movie might be available to watch at home. At the time of writing, the only way to see "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" is by heading to your nearest movie theater. It only hit the big screen on July 25 (or July 24, in the U.K.), and that's likely where it'll stay for some time. And before it makes its streaming debut, the "Fantastic Four's" new adventure will first hit premium video-on-demand (PVOD) storefronts like Amazon or Apple. Like I mentioned, we do not yet have a streaming release date for "The Fantastic Four: First Steps," but I have an idea of when the movie might land on Disney Plus. Right now, I'm predicting "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" will come to Disney Plus in (or around) October 29, 2025. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. That's based on the average length of time we've waited for recent Disney releases to come to Disney's streaming services. For example, Rami Malek thriller "The Amateur" recently came to Hulu (and Disney Plus, outside the US) 98 days after it hit the big screen. "Snow White," meanwhile, came to Disney Plus 83 days after it premiered, whilst "Captain America: Brave New World" landed on May 28, 104 days after it first hit theaters. Looking further back, we waited 97 days to stream "Mufasa: The Lion King," and 106 for "Moana 2". So, if we assume we'll wait around 90-100 days to stream "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" on Disney Plus, we arrive at that potential Disney Plus release date of Wednesday, October 29, 2025 (hence my guess above). Nothing official has been confirmed by Disney, though, and if this new Marvel release approaches "Deadpool & Wolverine" levels of box office success, there's every chance Disney might keep it in theaters a little longer. As soon as we get any official news or a confirmed "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" streaming date, we'll be sure to update this article. If you're looking for something to keep you entertained in the meantime, check out our round-up of the best movies on Disney Plus for plenty more top streaming recommendations. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Does this look like a real woman? AI Vogue model raises concerns about beauty standards
There's a new supermodel in town. She's striking, stylish... and not real. In August's print edition of Vogue, a Guess advert features a flawless blonde model showing off a striped maxi dress and a floral playsuit from the brand's summer collection. In small print in one corner, the ad reveals that she was created using AI. While Vogue says the AI model was not an editorial decision, it is the first time an AI-generated person has featured in the magazine. The advert has been met with controversy and raises questions about what this means for real models who have fought for greater diversity, and for consumers - particularly young people - already struggling with unrealistic beauty standards. Seraphinne Vallora is the company behind Guess's controversial advert. Its founders, Valentina Gonzalez and Andreea Petrescu, tell the BBC they were approached by Guess's co-founder, Paul Marciano, on Instagram and were asked to create an AI model as part of the brand's summer campaign. 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The fashion world was making real progress to be more inclusive in the 2010s - the decade saw Valentina Sampaio become the first openly trans model to walk for Victoria's Secret, Halima Aden was the first hijab-wearing model in global campaigns, and brands like Savage x Fenty featured plus-size models on the runway. But in recent years, Hayward believes, the industry has slipped backwards because "these people are just not getting booked any more". And the use of AI models is "another kick in the teeth, and one that will disproportionately affect plus-size models", she warns. Gonzalez and Petrescu are adamant they don't reinforce narrow beauty standards. "We don't create unattainable looks - actually the AI model for Guess looks quite realistic," Petrescu says. "Ultimately, all adverts are created to look perfect and usually have supermodels in, so what we are doing is no different." The pair admit the AI images on their company's Instagram page are lacking in diversity and promote unrealistic beauty standards. They say they have tried to be more inclusive, but it's the users who don't engage much with those posts. "We've posted AI images of women with different skin tones, but people do not respond to them - we don't get any traction or likes," Gonzalez tells the BBC. "At the end of the day, we are a business and use images on Instagram that will create a conversation and bring us clients." The company is yet to experiment with creating plus-size women, claiming "the technology is not advanced enough for that". An ad campaign by Dove in 2024 was designed to highlight the biases in AI. In the advert, an image generator is asked to create the most beautiful woman in the world and produces virtually indistinguishable women who are young, thin and white, with blonde hair and blue eyes. The images generated look similar to the Guess AI model. Hayward worries that seeing these unattainable images could have an impact on people's mental health and negatively affect their body image. Concern around unrealistic beauty standards and the damaging effects they can have is nothing new. But unlike traditional airbrushing, which at least began with a real person, these AI models are digitally created to look perfect, free from human flaws, inconsistencies or uniqueness. While some high-profile figures such as Ashley Graham, Jameela Jamil and Bella Thorne have spoken out against image editing and refuse to have their pictures Photoshopped, the use of AI sidesteps such conversations entirely. Vogue's decision to include an AI-generated advert has caused a stir on social media, with one user on X writing: "Wow! As if the beauty expectations weren't unrealistic enough, here comes AI to make them impossible. Even models can't compete." Vanessa Longley, CEO of eating disorder charity Beat, tells the BBC the advert is "worrying". "If people are exposed to images of unrealistic bodies, it can affect their thoughts about their own body, and poor body image increases the risk of developing an eating disorder," she says. 'Exceptionally problematic' Adding to the issue is the lack of transparency - it is not a legal requirement to label AI-generated content in the UK. While Guess labelled its advert as AI-generated, the disclaimer is small and subtle. Readers may overlook it and, at a glance, the image appears entirely lifelike. Sinead Bovell, a former model and now tech entrepreneur, wrote an article for Vogue five years ago about the risks of AI replacing modelling. She tells the BBC that not labelling AI content clearly is "exceptionally problematic" because it could have a detrimental impact on people's mental health. "Beauty standards are already being influenced by AI. There are young girls getting plastic surgery to look like a face in a filter – and now we see people who are entirely artificial," she says. Aside from the impact AI models could have on a consumer, especially if unlabelled, what about the impact of this technology on those working in the fashion industry? Sara Ziff is a former model and founder of Model Alliance, an organisation that aims to advance workers' rights in the fashion industry. She says Guess's AI campaign is "less about innovation and more about desperation and need to cut costs". More broadly, the former model thinks AI in the fashion industry is not inherently exploitative, but can often come at the expense of the people who bring it to life because there are many more staff involved in a photoshoot than just the model and the photographer. "AI can positively impact the industry, but there need to be meaningful protections for workers," she explains. 'Supplement not replace' Seraphinne Vallora rejects the notion that it is putting people out of work, and says its pioneering technology "is supplementary and not meant to replace models". "We're offering companies another choice in how they market a product," Petrescu explains. The pair add that they have created jobs with their company, and part of the process of creating AI models requires them to hire a real model and photographer to see how the product looks on a person in real life. However, its website lists one of the benefits of working with them as being cost-efficient because it "eliminates the need for expensive set-ups, MUA artists, venue rentals, stage setting, photographers, travel expenses, hiring models". Vogue has come under fire for including the advert in its print edition, with one person on X saying the fashion magazine had "lost credibility". Bovell says the magazine is "seen as the supreme court of the fashion industry", so allowing the AI advert to run means they are "in some way ruling it as acceptable". The BBC approached Vogue and Guess for comment. Vogue said it was an advert, not an editorial decision, but declined to respond further. So, what does the future of the modelling industry look like? Gonzalez and Petrescu believe that as their technology improves, they will be even more in demand by brands looking to do things differently. Bovell thinks there will be more AI-generated models in the future, but "we aren't headed to a future where every model is created by AI". She sees positives in the development of AI in the industry - predicting that anybody could "start to see ourselves as the fashion models" because we will be able to create a personal AI avatar to see how clothes look and fit. However, she adds that we may get to the stage of "society opting out, and not being interested in AI models because it's so unattainable and we know it's not real". More Weekend Picks The procedures driving UK's cosmetic surgery rise Women share their bittersweet experience after taking weight-loss drugs Can LED face masks transform your skin? Here's what the experts say Solve the daily Crossword


Cosmopolitan
36 minutes ago
- Cosmopolitan
The Fantastic Four: First Steps post-credits scenes, explained
Marvel's favourite family is officially back on the big screen as they join in on the Marvel Cinematic Universe and give us a glimpse at their retro-futuristic Earth as they face off against Galactus in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. While this does mean that we won't see them interact with our other favorite heroes, we still have to wonder how it'll all connect with the rest of the MCU as we get closer to Avengers: Doomsday. So does the film's post-credit scenes offer up any clues? Here's everything you need to know about the end-credit scenes in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. They might be from a different Earth, but The Fantastic Four know a thing or do about tradition. Not only does The Fantastic Four: First Steps include a mid-credits scene, but there's also a fun surprise if you wait all the way until the end. Like we mentioned, there is one mid-credit scene and another in the post-credits. In a big surprise, we're suddenly sent four years in the future where we see Sue Storm reading to Franklin on the couch. As they finish up another read, she sets out to find his favourite book with the help of H.E.R.B.I.E., who actually has a really funny suggestion for the book that Franklin might want to check out next. She finds the book in the kitchen, but feels that something is off when she returns back to the living room. Sue activates her powers as she tries to see what is happening behind the TV that's in the middle of the room when we suddenly see Doctor Doom (!!!) playing with Franklin. While we don't see their face, we do see him sporting the iconic green cloak while holding their mask in their hand. Immediately the screen goes to black and shows the words: 'The Fantastic Four Will Return in Avengers: Doomsday' After getting our heart pumping with that big hint, we get a different kind of surprise for the post-credit scene. Throughout the entire film, we have heard about The Fantastic Four cartoon and even got to see some glimpses of it. But now, we got to see the whole opening theme song including a catchphrase from our favourite clobberin' hero. It might not be a huge look at the future of the series, but it is still a fun way to end a great film! And, don't forget, The Fantastic Four were already featured in the post-credit scenes for Thunderbolts*, so we already know that a big link-up was going to happen. Hopefully we find out more real soon!