Midcentury Marvel: Inside the Design of Fantastic Four: First Steps

About this episode

In this episode, host Paula Benson interviews production designer Kasra Farahani about the design elements of Fantastic Four: First Steps.

🎧 Episode Summary: In this episode of the Film and Furniture Podcast, host Paula Benson sits down with celebrated production designer Kasra Farahani to explore the bold, retrofuturist world of Fantastic Four: First Steps. Known for his work on Loki and Black Panther, Kasra brings his architectural flair and cinematic vision to Marvel’s reboot—blending mid-century modernism with sleek space-age optimism. We dive deep into the interiors of the Baxter Building, a penthouse turned family home, and the spectacular Reed Richards Lab—described as nothing less than a cathedral of science. From curved wood panelling to parabolic structures and Tulip chairs, this episode is a feast of design insight and visual imagination. 🎯 Episode Highlights 🏙️ New York, ReimaginedDiscover how Reed Richards’ birth changes the timeline—and reshapes the New York skyline into a subtle blend of classic cityscape and retrofuturist elegance. 🪑 Mid-century Meets Space AgeFarahani reveals his design “lighthouse” for the film: the refined futurism of Eero Saarinen and Oscar Niemeyer. 🔥 The Baxter ApartmentA warm, womb-like family home built inside a penthouse—with curved wood interiors, flagstone floors…

People in this episode

Host: Paula Benson

Guest: Kasra Farahani

Topics covered

• production design
• mid-century modernism
• retro futurism
• Marvel
• interior design
• film analysis

Keywords

• Fantastic Four
• production design
• mid-century modern
• Baxter Building
• Reed Richards Lab
• furniture design
• film design
• retro futurism

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Marvel, Eero Saarinen, Oscar Niemeyer

Books & works: Fantastic Four: First Steps, Loki, Black Panther, 2001: A Space Odyssey

More episodes of The Film and Furniture Podcast

• Behind the Scenes of Hamnet: Designing Shakespeare’s World of Love and Loss · January 29, 2026 · 39 min
• The Design of Bugonia: Conspiracy, Chaos and Control · January 4, 2026 · 42 min
• Inside Park Avenue: A Love Letter to New York Through Design and Storytelling · November 10, 2025 · 37 min
• Inside the Mysterious and Important Design of Severance · October 9, 2025 · 38 min
• Inside The Uninvited: The House, the Furniture, the Vision – with Nadia Conners (Video Podcast) · May 2, 2025 · 29 min
• The Shining Carpet: The story behind the most famous carpet in film (Video Podcast) · April 11, 2025 · 14 min