At last year's San Deigo Comic-Con, Marvel Studios announced that the cast of The Fantastic Four: First Steps - Pedro Pascal (Mister Fantastic), Vanessa Kirby (Invisible Woman), Joseph Quinn (Human Torch) and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Thing) - will star in Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars.
All signs point to the upcoming reboot setting the stage for those movies, no great surprise when Robert Downey Jr. has been tapped to suit up as the MCU's new big bad (and the team's greatest villain), Doctor Doom.
Following a concept art leak this past weekend, we're taking a closer look at everything we know about the Fantastic Four's role in Avengers: Doomsday and beyond. Based on the few official details, rumours, and a healthy dose of speculation, we're confident this team will be key to the Multiversal war with Victor Von Doom.
Find out what may be to come for Marvel's First Family in the MCU by clicking the "Next"/"View List" buttons below.
5. Doctor Doom Might Be From The Same Reality
It's been established that The Fantastic Four: First Steps takes place on a different timeline and rumours have swirled about the reboot having a big Multiversal element.
Some have claimed Galactus will be a threat to more than just this reality, with the prevailing theory being that the destruction of their Earth will lead to Marvel's First Family heading to Earth-616. That may even be the team's original home and we wouldn't dismiss the accident that gave them their powers possibly having stranded them in this retro-futuristic New York City.
Regardless, one intriguing rumour - and this makes a ton of sense - suggests Avengers: Doomsday's Doctor Doom will also hail from this reality. If the team has a history with Victor, then it should set up the next Avengers movies perfectly.
4. Doctor Doom vs. The Fantastic Four
Many people seem to forget that Thanos had literally only around 3 minutes of screen time in the MCU before Avengers: Infinity War. By the time the credits rolled on that movie in 2018, he was firmly established as one of the franchise's greatest villains.
Yes, it's a shame that Doctor Doom hasn't had a chance to be better established before Avengers: Doomsday but that doesn't mean he won't steal the show. The bigger issue for fans is a lack of history with the Fantastic Four but, as we suggested above, there's a strong chance they've crossed paths before.
Leaked concept art showed the Human Torch chained up and doused in a constant stream of water. Mister Fantastic, meanwhile, was brought before Doom in chains with his wife and son at the dictator's side...to us, that suggests they have a storied rivalry.
3. Franklin Richards
We mention Reed's son and, yes, leaked concept art from The Fantastic Four: First Steps has confirmed that movie will feature Franklin Storm. Avengers: Doomsday concept art suggests he's been aged up for what comes next, and there's likely a good reason why.
In the comics, Franklin is an insanely powerful mutant who used his God-like abilities to help restore the Multiverse following its collapse due to the incursion crisis. Rumour has it Galactus wants Franklin and if he's been sent to retrieve him by Doom, then you can probably piece together how Reed and Sue's child will factor into Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars.
Franklin promises to be Doom's way into creating a new reality he can rule over, though how he'll go about manipulating the kid is hard to predict at this stage.
2. God Emperor Doom
In the Secret Wars comic book event published in 2015, Doctor Doom steals the powers of The Beyonders and manipulates Molecule Man so he can create a world where he's ruler (in the MCU, don't be surprised if the Council of Kangs and Frankin take their place).
Dubbed "God Emperor Doom," the villain watches over various pieces of reality that have been mashed together to create a new "Battleworld." Only a small few remember Earth-616, including Doctor Strange who, for a time, serves as Doom's loyal right-hand man.
Leaked concept art has shown Doom in his white costume. As we mentioned above, Sue and Franklin appear to be by his side now, while Strange has also joined him (Yelena Belova, meanwhile, looks to be one of his guards). Mister Fantastic - who escaped Earth-616 with his memories intact on a cosmic life raft - is the one who eventually defeats Doom, so could that be the same here?
1. The Fantastic Four's MCU Future
If we take it at face value that the MCU's Fantastic Four hails from another reality, then what becomes of them after Secret Wars? Do they go home, only to forever remains separated from The Avengers? We certainly hope not.
Various rumours point to the MCU being softly rebooted after Secret Wars, with the X-Men and Fantastic Four merged into the Earth-616 timeline to create a reality where all these different superhero teams share the same space.
Had Avengers: The Kang Dynasty happened, then chances are we'd have learned Kang made it so that neither team existed on his Sacred Timeline, especially if they played a role in defeating his Variants. Marvel Studios no longer needs to head down that route but a link to Doctor Doom would make it so that this team holds a far greater importance in the Multiverse.