Okay, Fantastic Four fans, we’ve got some awesome news! Matthew Wood, the guy who brought General Grievous’ creepy voice to life in Star Wars, is set to voice H.E.R.B.I.E., the adorable robot buddy in Marvel’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps. The scoop dropped in an Empire magazine chat with director Matt Shakman, published May 6, 2025, along with a cool new pic of H.E.R.B.I.E. doing his thing. This movie, hitting theaters July 25, 2025, is bringing Marvel’s First Family into the MCU, and Wood’s H.E.R.B.I.E. sounds like he’s gonna be a total scene-stealer. I’m already obsessed with this little android!
Why H.E.R.B.I.E. Is a Big Deal
H.E.R.B.I.E. stands for Humanoid Experimental Robot B-Type Integrated Electronics, and he’s basically Reed Richards’ right-hand bot. In The Fantastic Four: First Steps, directed by Matt Shakman (who gave us WandaVision), H.E.R.B.I.E.’s not just a gadget—he’s family. Shakman spilled to Empire, “He’s absolutely as important and as alive as any other member of the cast. He’s sometimes a slightly put-upon robot, but he is definitely a member of the family. He’s just so charming and adorable.” How cute is that? H.E.R.B.I.E. helps Pedro Pascal’s Reed (aka Mister Fantastic) with lab experiments on Earth and in space, but also does stuff like build cribs for Reed and Sue Storm’s baby. Talk about multitasking!
But here’s the kicker: Shakman says H.E.R.B.I.E.’s “charming, he’s funny—but he also will break your heart.” Whoa, is our robot pal in for some emotional drama? I’m already bracing for tears. Wood’s voice is gonna bring this pint-sized hero to life, whether he’s chatting up a storm or making cute beeps and whirs like in the trailers. Forget earlier rumors about comedians like Natasha Lyonne voicing him—Wood’s the perfect pick to make H.E.R.B.I.E. lovable and soulful.
Who’s Matthew Wood?
If you’re a Star Wars nerd like me, you know Matthew Wood’s voice. He’s the genius behind General Grievous’ raspy menace in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith and The Clone Wars, plus he’s done Battle Droids, Bib Fortuna, and tons of other Star Wars characters. The dude’s also a big-deal sound editor at Lucasfilm, snagging Oscar nods for stuff like Star Wars: The Force Awakens. He’s dipped his toes in Marvel with small roles in What If…? and X-Men ’97, but voicing H.E.R.B.I.E. is his first major MCU movie gig, and I’m hyped he’s jumping franchises.
Shakman raved about Wood’s knack for giving H.E.R.B.I.E. personality, and get this: they used a real-deal animatronic on set! Special effects boss Alistair Williams told Empire the main H.E.R.B.I.E. puppet could drive, clean, grab toys, and even whip up martinis with four people controlling it, plus some CGI polish. That’s next-level, and I can’t wait to hear Wood’s voice coming out of this martini-serving bot.
H.E.R.B.I.E.’s Comic Roots and MCU Glow-Up
H.E.R.B.I.E. goes way back, first popping up in the 1978 New Fantastic Four cartoon (voiced by Frank Welker) when they couldn’t use Human Torch because of legal stuff. He hit the comics in Fantastic Four #209 in 1979, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, and went from “meh” to fan-favorite as Reed’s lab helper and babysitter for Franklin and Valeria Richards. He barely got a nod in live-action before—a silent cameo in a deleted scene from 2005’s Fantastic Four—so seeing him in First Steps feels like a big win.
The movie’s set in a retro-cool 1960s New York, with the Fantastic Four—Reed (Pascal), Sue/Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny/Human Torch (Joseph Quinn), and Ben/The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach)—taking on Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and Shalla-Bal/Silver Surfer (Julia Garner). Trailers show H.E.R.B.I.E. cooking sauce with The Thing, which sounds hilarious, but Shakman’s “break your heart” line has me worried. Some fans think the team’s dimension might get wrecked by Galactus—could H.E.R.B.I.E. get left behind or make a big sacrifice? My heart’s not ready.
Why Wood’s Casting Rocks
Picking Wood is a smart move for First Steps, which wants to stand out from past Fantastic Four flops (looking at you, 2015). His Star Wars cred with robotic voices like Grievous means H.E.R.B.I.E.’ll feel quirky but real, fitting the movie’s vibe of family warmth and cosmic adventure. Going with a voice actor over a comedian shows Marvel’s aiming for heart, kinda like Bill Hader’s Alpha 5 in Power Rangers. With a stacked cast—Paul Walter Hauser, John Malkovich, Natasha Lyonne in secret roles—Wood’s H.E.R.B.I.E. could be the surprise MVP of this Phase Six kickoff.
Why I’m Losing It
I’m a total Star Wars geek, so hearing Wood go from Grievous’ scary growl to H.E.R.B.I.E.’s quirky charm has me over the moon. A robot who’s Reed’s lab wingman and cooks with The Thing? I’m in love already. Shakman’s tease about heartbreak’s got me nervous—please, don’t hurt our bot buddy! That animatronic serving martinis sounds like pure chaos, and Wood’s gonna make every line or beep iconic. I’m counting down to see H.E.R.B.I.E. light up the Fantastic Four’s new chapter.
When to Catch the Action
The Fantastic Four: First Steps zooms into theaters July 25, 2025, probably with IMAX to show off its 1960s swagger. Grab Empire’s latest issue for a peek at H.E.R.B.I.E. building a crib, and check out Star Wars: The Clone Wars on Disney+ to hear Wood’s Grievous. The trailer’s already out, but I’m betting we’ll see more H.E.R.B.I.E. soon. You hyped for Wood’s take on this robot pal, or wondering about that heartbreak? I’m all in for H.E.R.B.I.E. stealing the spotlight—hit me with your thoughts!
Source: Empire
