Yesterday, concept art from several past and upcoming MCU projects leaked online. Among them was The Fantastic Four: First Steps and, while there wasn't anything too revealing - it looks like Shalla-Bal will be bald rather than rocking silver hair - there are some big hints about what the future holds in store for Marvel's First Family.
It's now been confirmed that the upcoming reboot will feature an infant Franklin Richards, the son of Mister Fantastic and the Invisible Woman.
The comics have established him as a powerful reality warper and one of the strongest beings in the universe, even at a young age. He used his God-like abilities to help restore the Multiverse following its collapse due to the incursion crisis, so you can probably figure out how the boy will be key to Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.
In fact, concept art for the next Avengers movies has shown Doctor Doom seemingly alongside Sue Storm and a slightly older Franklin, likely in his newly created "Battleworld" reality.
Before them is a chained-up Reed Richards, while the Human Torch has been spotted in captivity and trapped beneath a source of constant water to stop him from flaming on.
With that in mind, we can safely say that The Fantastic Four: First Steps will establish Franklin's powerful abilities before Doom likely co-opts them to create his new home and establish his dominance over the team. Not only does this suggest Doom has a hatred and history with the Fantastic Four, but it points to their dynamic being a major part of what we see in the next Avengers movies.
How better to torment Reed than by making it so that, in his new reality, Sue and Franklin are loyal to Victor Von Doom? And who knows what terrible fate has befallen The Thing...on the page, Doom turns him into the wall that protects his kingdom.
We'll have to wait and see how things pan out but the dynamic between Doom and Marvel's First Family looks set to be a huge part of what we see in theaters over the next few years.
In case you missed it, check out that newly revealed concept art for The Fantastic Four: First Steps in the X posts below. You can also find our Avengers: Doomsday breakdown here.
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, and Natasha Lyonne have been cast in mystery roles.
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.