Marvel’s about to hit the refresh button on one of its most iconic teams. We know that The Fantastic Four: First Steps is kicking off Phase 6 of the MCU, and it’s looking like a knockout even before its July 25, 2025, release.
The film already had fans hyped with its A-list cast, a major cosmic villain in full glory, and Matt Shakman at the helm. But now? It simply brought another joy to the blend: the voice of H.E.R.B.I.E., the squad’s charming robotic companion. And guess who’s bringing that lovable little bot to life? None other than a Star Wars legend.
Who voices H.E.R.B.I.E. in the upcoming The Fantastic Four: First?
Matthew Wood is the man behind General Grievous and the B1 Battle Droids. Yup, the one who made “Roger Roger” iconic is now suiting up for Marvel. In the upcoming Fantastic Four, H.E.R.B.I.E. is an all-rounder. He’s part butler, part pet, part emotional support robot. Created by Reed Richards (played by Pedro Pascal), he’s practically the fifth member of the team, and now he’s got a voice to match his charm.
Director Matt Shakman told Empire, “He’s charming, he’s funny — but he also will break your heart,” adding that H.E.R.B.I.E. is “absolutely as important and as alive as any other member of the cast.”
On set, the little droid was puppeteered using everything from a wooden model to a full animatronic controlled by four people. Then, it’s all blended with CGI to bring him fully to life. Marvel isn’t cutting corners with this one.
Shakman continued, “He’s sometimes a slightly put-upon robot, but he is definitely a member of the family. He’s just so charming and adorable.” Sounds like he’s about to steal the show and maybe a few hearts, too.
A Droid Voice You’ve Heard Before (But Maybe Didn’t Realize)
Matthew Wood may not be a household name, but you’ve definitely heard his voice. He’s been part of Star Wars since the prequel days, both behind the scenes and in front of the mic. Most famously, he voiced General Grievous in Revenge of the Sith, giving the villain that raspy, mechanical menace we all remember. And if that’s not ringing a bell, how about the “Roger Roger” droids from The Clone Wars? Yup, also him.
What’s crazy is that Wood wasn’t even a traditional voice actor when he got the gig. He was a sound editor on Star Wars, messing around with effects and audio when George Lucas decided to give him a shot.
Back then, Lucas was trying to keep things lean. In fact, the legendary filmmaker was famously frugal, leaning on in-house talent like Wood rather than hiring union actors.
It’s that same experimental spirit that’s now landing him in the MCU, and honestly, it’s a perfect fit. Wood’s voice work has always walked the line between memorable and weirdly lovable. The B1 Battle Droids were oblivious, clunky, and hilarious qualities that H.E.R.B.I.E. seems to share in spades.
This also fits with Marvel’s recent trend of making every character count, no matter how small or mechanical. Think of Rocket Raccoon, Vision, or even Korg. H.E.R.B.I.E. might just be next on that list of scene-stealing sidekicks. It also doesn’t hurt that the rest of the Fantastic Four cast is stacked.
