Scientist Reed Richards (Ioan Gruffudd) persuades his arrogant former classmate, Victor von Doom (Julian McMahon), to fund his experiments with cosmic energy. On von Doom's space station, the crew -- including astronaut Ben Grimm (Michael Chiklis), researcher Sue Storm (Jessica Alba) and pilot Johnny Storm (Chris Evans) -- are exposed to a mysterious cosmic storm that bestows super powers upon them. As they cope with their transformations, von Doom vows his revenge.