The Fantastic Four: First Steps arrives in theaters next week, and it sounds like we can expect three huge Disney trailers to be attached to the latest Marvel Studios movie.
According to Feature First, new looks at Avatar: Fire and Ash, Predator: Badlands, and TRON: Ares are all expected to play before the blockbuster.
Predator: Badlands and TRON: Ares both have panels at next weekend's San Diego Comic-Con, and we'd anticipated seeing new trailers released online to coincide with them. However, if this rumour is true, these previews may arrive imminently, with clips or something similar saved for San Diego (along with footage that's shown exclusively to those in Hall H, of course).
Avatar: Fire and Ash is the big one, as we've already seen footage from the other two movies. With its December release fast approaching, it makes perfect sense for a teaser to play in front of The Fantastic Four: First Steps. After all, Disney is banking on Marvel's First Family starring in one of the summer's biggest hits.
We'll see what happens, especially as there's currently no word on what the release strategy for these trailers is. The Odyssey teaser has been playing exclusively in theaters for most of July, and Disney could follow suit by making any one of these exclusive to multiplexes.
If that happens, we'd expect it to be Avatar: Fire and Ash, as holding off on an online drop could lead to a small boost in ticket sales for The Fantastic Four: First Steps among film fans. After all, the Avatar threequel is likely to be yet another $2 billion hit.
TRON: Ares hits theaters on October 10, with Predator Badlands following on November 7. Avatar: Fire and Ash looks to dominate the holidays, though, as it's been scheduled for a December 19 release.
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.
Paul Walter Hauser, John Malkovich, Natasha Lyonne, and Sarah Niles have been cast in mystery roles. Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom is rumoured to appear, though that's surely a given with Avengers: Doomsday on the way.
Director Matt Shakman worked with both Avatar: The Way of Water co-writer Josh Friedman and WandaVision's Cam Squires on The Fantastic Four: First Steps' screenplay, with Eric Pearson (Black Widow) later coming on board for a final polish.
The movie is set to be released in theaters on July 25, 2025.