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“He’s absolutely as important and as alive as any other member of the cast,” Shakman told Empire about HERBIE. “He’s sometimes a slightly put-upon robot, but he is definitely a member of the family. He’s just so charming and adorable. He is really Reed’s right hand in the lab, capable of assisting him on any sort of experiment, always by his side, whether in New York City or out in space … He’s charming, he’s funny — but he also will break your heart. Which I hope is emblematic of the movie.” Empire also unveiled a new image of HERBIE building a baby crib:
The Fantastic Four: First Steps marks the first proper live-action appearance for HERBIE. The character was previously in a deleted scene from 2005’s Fantastic Four, a silent cameo where the robot was seen on a shelf. With First Steps marketing focusing on establishing the MCU’s version of Marvel’s First Family, HERBIE hasn’t been spotlighted much in promotional materials. However, he can be seen in the trailers, making sauce for dinner.
[RELATED – Fantastic Four: First Steps Getting First-Ever Canon MCU Comic From Marvel]
Wood has made a name for himself by working in the sound department on various movies and TV shows, but arguably his biggest claim to fame is voicing General Grievous. He first played the Separatist leader in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, later reprising the role in projects like The Clone Wars and Star Wars: Battlefront II. The Fantastic Four: First Steps is the first time he’s been involved in a Marvel movie as an actor.
It doesn’t sound like HERBIE has a huge role in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, but he should still be a memorable part. He’ll probably be used as a source of comic relief; The Thing’s interaction with HERBIE from the trailer (where Thing tastes the sauce) is played for laughs, so there are likely other similar moments involving the robot. It should be fun to see what his dynamic with the four main team members is like, particularly Reed. Plus, his long-awaited inclusion in a live-action film will help First Steps differentiate from previous big-screen versions, paying homage to a Stan Lee/Jack Kirby creation with decades of history. HERBIE’s inclusion is just another way First Steps tips its hat to the past.
What’s interesting is that Shakman notes HERBIE will also break viewers’ hearts, suggesting there could be a bittersweet or emotional scene with the robot. As Marvel builds to Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars, there are numerous theories about how the Fantastic Four become involved in the confrontation with Doctor Doom. One that’s gained traction posits the Fantastic Four’s dimension is destroyed by Galactus, sending them on a quest to find a new home in the multiverse. If that’s the case, perhaps HERBIE is left behind. Hopefully First Steps doesn’t feature anything that dark, but it’ll be fascinating to see how he makes fans laugh and cry this July.
