The Marvel Cinematic Universe is constantly expanding, thanks to new projects that arrive in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order were thrilled when The Fantastic Four finally joined the shared universe with First Steps, complete with their robot sidekick H.E.R.B.I.E.. Some concept art revealed an alternate design for the scene-stealer, and I'm so glad they didn't end up being used.
I recently re-watched Fantastic Four: First Steps. (If you haven't, you can too thanks to some A+ Black Friday streaming deals.) During my viewing, I realized how we as a culture honestly failed to make H.E.R.B.I.E. into a beloved franchise mascot like Grogu in Star Wars. Maybe the character will gain some momentum now that alternate designs recently arrived online, including a less retro take. Check it out, below:
Talk about a bold look! While this version of H.E.R.Bi.I.E. is striking, especially with its various color schemes, I feel like it was a departure from Fantastic Four: First Steps' retro-futuristic design. It's probably for this reason I much prefer the design of H.E.R.B.I.E. that ultimately made it into the theatrical cut.
H.E.R.B.I.E. made its way to Disneyland, but it could have had a different look entirely. The one that was in the movie was much more vintage feeling, particular his "face" which was actually a tape with programming that Reed Richards could switch out. Honestly, I much prefer that than the screen face that's shown above.
Disney has a habit of creating adorable little creatures, which end up being fodder for merchandise. Whether its The Last Jedi's Porgs or Baby Groot from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. It's almost like it's planned.
Anyway, finding the right look for H.E.R.B.I.E. was key, even if he didn't become the mascot like the aforementioned creatures did. Still, I think they ultimately landed on the right design.
After his debut in Fantastic Four: First Steps, H.E.R.B.I.E. is expected to return in upcoming Marvel movies. The Avengers: Doomsday cast announcement confirmed that the quartet of heroes will appear, and I have to assume that the robot sidekick will also be in on the fun. It should be fascinating to see how the Fantastic Four interacts with other MCU superhero teams, including The Avengers, New Avengers aka Thunderbolts, and X-Men.
While H.E.R.B.I.E. had a great look in Matt Shakman's recent Marvel blockbuster, I do wonder if we'll get new design as the robot makes more appearances in the shared universe. It looks like Doomsday and Secret Wars will tell a multiversal story, so perhaps the Richards' robot assistant will get an upgrade if/when he travels to other timelines.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps is streaming now on Disney+, and Avengers: Doomsday will hit theaters on December 18th of next year as part of the 2026 movie release list. We'll just have to see what happens to H.E.R.B.I.E. when he's back on the big screen.
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