Little Caesars Fantastic Four Commercial Features a Classic Comic Callback
Did Little Caesars just spoil a big comic book callback in The Fantastic Four: First Steps… or did it feature one that isn’t in the movie? First Steps, which is headed to theaters in a little over a month, is mostly about the Fantastic Four fighting the planet-consuming cosmic menace Galactus and his female Silver Surfer, but there are rumors that it will feature references to the Four’s comic origins, particularly the initial Stan Lee and Jack Kirby run, with minor appearances from other villains. For instance, it’s suspected that Paul Walter Hauser will portray the Mole Man, the first evil mastermind the team faced, while John Malkovich is rumored to be playing the Red Ghost, another early foe with a great backstory. But Little Caesars, which has a new specialty pizza that serves as a tie-in to the movie, has a commercial that may tease a terrific comic book reference, one even casual fans will probably recognize because the image is so iconic:
If you don’t know what it is, the monster the Four are facing is part of the very first threat they faced in the comics, and their fight with him is depicted on the cover of The Fantastic Four #1 from 1961:
Of course, in the new version, the pizza guy takes the place of Sue Storm in the monster’s grasp; Sue is fully suited up and leading the team into battle, while their leader, Reed Richards, is seen for a split second at the end as he’s holding up the rear. I guess Sue really is in charge now. But yep, that monster was created by the Mole Man (and inside the book, the story plays out differently; the cover is just for the cool visual), and as this is essentially the first cover of what became the Marvel Universe, it’s very well-known. It also makes for a very cool commercial for Little Caesars and their new Fantastic Four-N-One pizza.
Dinner’s at 7 on the dot 6.23.25. Marvel Studios’ #TheFantasticFour: First Steps arrives in theaters July 25. pic.twitter.com/7mczbJB8sf
— Little Caesars Pizza (@littlecaesars) June 17, 2025
But fans are wondering if this is just a Little Caesars commercial or if the fight with the Mole Man’s monster will actually be in First Steps. It’s hard to say; if they’re stuffing in references to the early comics, the cover of the first issue of Fantastic Four should be a shoo-in. However, the effects do look funky, like they were made for a pizza chain commercial; even the Four don’t look like they’re really there. (Reed Richards isn’t even in the Fantasticar! He materializes out of nowhere to follow Sue and the Thing.) If this is what the film is going to look like, we’re in for another Marvel movie with atrocious special effects – which actually may point towards it being real movie footage. At the same time, this is modern Marvel; they proudly hire people who know nothing about the comics and tell them to keep it that way. Remember when fans asked Jac Shaeffer if Mephisto would show up in WandaVision, and her response was, “Who?” In other words, if you told me someone at Little Caesars came up with the concept for this commercial as opposed to Marvel, I’d believe it. And if this is only for the commercial, Little Caesars will have upstaged Marvel’s introduction to their First Family; The Fantastic Four: First Steps is making people more wary the more they learn about it, whereas this commercial makes you smile instantly. Sure, not as much is expected of a quick TV spot for lousy fake pizza, but at least it’s fun and honors the origins of the Fantastic Four.
Let us know what you think of the Little Caesars Fantastic Four commercial in the comments!
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