RUMOR: THE FANTASTIC FOUR Sequel Moving Forward With Matt Shakman "Likely" To Return As Director

RUMOR: THE FANTASTIC FOUR Sequel Moving Forward With Matt Shakman "Likely" To Return As Director

Marvel Studios has not officially announced a sequel to The Fantastic Four: First Steps, but a reliable source believes a follow-up is in the early planning stages...

By MarkCassidy - Aug 07, 2025 07:08 PM EST
Filed Under: Fantastic Four

The Fantastic Four: First Steps was hit with a pretty steep drop at the domestic box office during its second weekend in theaters, leading to questions and concerns about the MCU reboot's franchise potential. Marvel Studios doesn't seem overly daunted, however, and may already have plans in place for a sequel.

Though nothing has been officially announced (and probably won't be for a while), Jeff Sneider has heard that "Matt Shakman will likely return to direct a sequel."

Apparently, Marvel execs are confident that a second movie will be a bigger box office success once audiences become more familiar with Reed, Sue, Johnny and Ben after they return for Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars.

During yesterday's earnings call, Disney's Bob Iger said that The Fantastic Four had “successfully launched this important franchise into the Marvel Cinematic Universe,” which was our first indication that more FF movies are in the early planning stages. 

It's obviously way too early to speculate about what a potential sequel would focus on (we should have a much better idea after the Avengers movies), but we have heard that Marvel does have future plans for Galactus and Julia Garner's take on the Silver Surfer.

Though some fans expressed disappointment that the movie didn't introduce Norrin Radd as the MCU's Surfer, Shalla-Bal seems to have won over a few doubters despite her relatively limited screentime.

First Steps stars Pedro Pascal (The Last of Us, The Mandalorian) as Reed Richards, aka Mr. Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby (Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning) as Sue Storm, aka the Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn (Stranger Things, A Quiet Place Day One) as Johnny Storm, aka The Human Torch, Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Punisher, The Bear) as Ben Grimm, aka the Thing, and Julia Garner (Wolf Man, Ozark) as the Silver Surfer.

Ralph Ineson plays Galactus, and Natasha Lyonne and Paul Walter Hauser are also on board in undisclosed roles. John Malkovich's Red Ghost has been cut from the movie.

"Set against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, Marvel Studios' The Fantastic Four: First Steps introduces Marvel’s First Family—Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm/Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm/Human Torch (Joseph Quinn) and Ben Grimm/The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) as they face their most daunting challenge yet.

Forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, they must defend Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer (Julia Garner). And if Galactus’ plan to devour the entire planet and everyone on it weren’t bad enough, it suddenly gets very personal."

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is now in theaters.

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F4ntasticClunge
F4ntasticClunge - 8/7/2025, 7:02 PM
Great news!

Hopefully marvel dont dumb to attract the GA and their short attention span viewing habits 😮‍💨
Malatrova15
Malatrova15 - 8/7/2025, 7:11 PM
@F4ntasticClunge - i dont thinks Is posible to dumb down this movie More whitouth risking the fábric of reality itself
JacobsLadder
JacobsLadder - 8/7/2025, 8:13 PM
@Malatrova15 - holy shit. imagine thinking that movie was profound.
SuperiorHeckler
SuperiorHeckler - 8/7/2025, 8:18 PM
@F4ntasticClunge - @F4ntasticClunge - The hardcore comic-book-movie fans will (by-and-large) always be there. But there's not enough of them to drag a project like the FF into the black with a healthy return on profits. Like 'em or not; it's the general audience that gives a movie its legs after the first-week hype dries-up and blows away. 🤨
dragon316
dragon316 - 8/7/2025, 8:25 PM
@F4ntasticClunge - if movie is fun to watch it be successful without doubt but if movie is boring it will suck watch video
Give insight what it means for general audience want to see in movie goodd story is not always enough it’s proof of it

?si=pKcWkYDfQE9j-zD6
harryba11zack
harryba11zack - 8/7/2025, 7:05 PM
Malatrova15
Malatrova15 - 8/7/2025, 7:10 PM
@harryba11zack - Man...the only actor who behaves like Superman in His daily life...what man
AllsGood
AllsGood - 8/7/2025, 7:05 PM
Marvel Studios The Fantastic Four: First Steps was Certified Fresh.

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Malatrova15
Malatrova15 - 8/7/2025, 7:09 PM
@AllsGood - by smell impaired person i bet
AllsGood
AllsGood - 8/7/2025, 7:16 PM
@Malatrova15 - Disney / Marvel Studios F4 was High Quality.
Malatrova15
Malatrova15 - 8/7/2025, 7:20 PM
@AllsGood - i eat healthy , no sugars AND lots of veggies ...my doctor says my dumps aré high Quality stool... Still...i rather not keep them ...nevermind put them in imax screens....so Whats your point ?
AllsGood
AllsGood - 8/7/2025, 7:31 PM
@Malatrova15 - Marvel Studios The Fantastic Four: First Steps Certified Fresh at Rotten Tomatoes.
dragon316
dragon316 - 8/7/2025, 8:28 PM
@AllsGood - for fans yes what other normal non comic readers thought if it they chose not to see it which brought movie to how much it earned this year fantastic four first steps and transformers one is proof rotten tomatoes, critics and reviews don’t make movies successful it is people who choose see them
AllsGood
AllsGood - 8/7/2025, 8:36 PM
@dragon316 - The Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score is 91% Popcornmeter
Malatrova15
Malatrova15 - 8/7/2025, 7:08 PM
Lol as if
Wahhvacado
Wahhvacado - 8/7/2025, 7:08 PM
I enjoyed the film! Looking forward to seeing where they go with it
AllsGood
AllsGood - 8/7/2025, 7:14 PM
This is the Difference between Disney and Marvel Studios and WB/DC DCU

During yesterday's earnings call, Disney's Bob Iger said that The Fantastic Four had “Successfully launched this important franchise into the Marvel Cinematic Universe,” which was our first indication that more FF movies are in the early planning stages.

Disney has LOTS of Money

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gambgel
gambgel - 8/7/2025, 7:16 PM
2029 release date is my guess.

The F4 cast will appear in three consecutive movies: 2025, 2026 and 2027. So a one year rest would be fine, so once they return in 2029 the'll see a boxoffice increase no doubt.
SpideyPuffsMJ
SpideyPuffsMJ - 8/7/2025, 8:31 PM
@gambgel - when Mr. Fantastic is 74 years old
DocSpock
DocSpock - 8/7/2025, 7:16 PM

It was a good movie.

But the box office is lousy. Unless it is the lead-in to a giant Avengers/X-Men/alien invasion/Armageddon level blow out movie, they will not just make a direct sequel to this.


Forthas
Forthas - 8/7/2025, 7:17 PM
The first film was a nice set up no different than the first Captain America, Thor and Iron Man and Batman Begins. The next film should deliver the goods and as the audience learns to love them then they can potentially be an epic trilogy.
Super12
Super12 - 8/7/2025, 7:18 PM
Good! It was a seriously great movie, I want to see more of the Fantastic Family.
cadunovaes01
cadunovaes01 - 8/7/2025, 7:19 PM
Matt Shakman was great, talekd to him in an interview. He did dives into the comics to look for inspiration ( i mentioned Jonathan Hickman´s run and he confirmed, also confirming a dive into Lee, Mark Waid run´s too )
MarkCassidy
MarkCassidy - 8/7/2025, 7:24 PM
I've never been a FF fan, but I really enjoyed this movie. Yeah it did seem to be a bit butchered in the edit and I have some character nitpicks, but I was very pleasantly surprised overall.

It was criminal to reduce Natasha Lyonnes role so much though.
bobevanz
bobevanz - 8/7/2025, 7:26 PM
Woo hoo! Hiring him and Jake Schreier after Thunderbolts is the right call. Perfect directors for the projects, NOW IF THEY CAN FINISH THE SCRIPTS
Urubrodi
Urubrodi - 8/7/2025, 7:35 PM
@bobevanz - Marvel has always worked like this
TheShellyMan
TheShellyMan - 8/7/2025, 7:27 PM
I'm down for more. Any villain suggestions, folks?
Urubrodi
Urubrodi - 8/7/2025, 7:37 PM
@TheShellyMan - Annihilus User Comment Image
mountainman
mountainman - 8/7/2025, 7:42 PM
@Urubrodi - This is the correct answer.
soberchimera
soberchimera - 8/7/2025, 7:42 PM
@TheShellyMan - Maximus if they’re going to do Inhumans again. Maybe the Frightful Four for the first act of the film with Medusa, Wizard, Trapster, and Dragon Man since they probably can’t use Sandman or Hydro-Man.
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RolandD
RolandD - 8/7/2025, 7:31 PM
I would definitely watch a sequel. I thought it by far the best FF film. Okay, I have never seen the ash can movie but I think I am safe with my statement.
soberchimera
soberchimera - 8/7/2025, 7:33 PM
They should just try to do the Inhumans the right way. And hopefully still have it set in Earth - 818.
WalletsClosed
WalletsClosed - 8/7/2025, 7:34 PM
Disney is now rewarding failure now. Thunderbolts director on the X-Men and they're moving forward with this. It's like they don't even care that both flopped. Deranged!

Reboot the MCU and DCU
AllsGood
AllsGood - 8/7/2025, 7:39 PM
@WalletsClosed - The Walt Disney Company Revenue Increases to $23.7 Billion in Q3 2025
Urubrodi
Urubrodi - 8/7/2025, 7:43 PM
@WalletsClosed - damn what a simplistic point of view... their performance in the box office has nothing to do with their quality
SuperiorHeckler
SuperiorHeckler - 8/7/2025, 8:11 PM
@Urubrodi - Please go tell Disney that "It's not about profits, it's about quality" and see what the stock-holders have to say about it. 🫤
chumpchampion
chumpchampion - 8/7/2025, 8:27 PM
@SuperiorHeckler - Not sure what the stock holders had to say but according to the article it seems like Iger kinda already said that...

"During yesterday's earnings call, Disney's Bob Iger said that The Fantastic Four had “successfully launched this important franchise into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.""
Canyoublush
Canyoublush - 8/7/2025, 9:27 PM
@WalletsClosed - the DCU definitely needs rebooting. Superman didn’t even save the day me terrific did and Lois saved superman when it should be the other way around. The justice gang did the heavy lifting. And supergirl calling Clark a b***** encapsulates the movie as a whole. Superman was literally a whore in this movie because he spent the entire movie on his back and krypto had to save him. 🤦🏿‍♂️
NicolausCopernicus
NicolausCopernicus - 8/7/2025, 7:52 PM
Gimme a Silver Surfer solo film
Laridian
Laridian - 8/7/2025, 8:09 PM
@NicolausCopernicus - YES !! Silver Surfer film starring Keanu Reeves.
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