The Fantastic Four: First Steps arrived in theaters this past weekend to glowing reviews from fans and critics alike. Marvel Studios delivered a worthy take on its First Family, and we're surely all counting down the days to their return in Avengers: Doomsday.
Now, we're taking a closer look at the reboot's Easter Eggs, ranging from deep-cut comic book references to easy-to-miss cameos and references to the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe.
While filmmaker Matt Shakman's first MCU movie is largely standalone, it's also a love letter to the comic books and everything that makes this team so...fantastic...on the page. It won't surprise you, then, that there are heaps of nods tp what we've seen on the page over the decades.
Check out this breakdown of The Fantastic Four: First Steps' biggest Easter Eggs by clicking the "Next"/"View List" buttons below.
10. Stan Lee And Jack Kirby
There are many nods to the work of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby throughout The Fantastic Four: First Steps, from the name of the Excelsior spaceship to stores on Yancy Street called "Stanley's" (Lee's name was Stanley Lieber) and "King's," a nod to the artist's "King Kirby" moniker.
However, keep your eyes peeled during the Silver Surfer's arrival in Times Square, and you'll notice she passes by an office revealed to be Timely Publications, Marvel Comics' precursor.
Are Timely Employee #1 (Martin Dickinson) and Timely Employee #2 (Greg Haiste) meant to be Stan and Jack? Well, one of the pages is pulled from the "Ogg Lives Again!" story in 1961's Tales of Suspense #27, so it seems likely.
9. The Future Foundation
In the comics, the Future Foundation was introduced when Mister Fantastic decided to form a new group of free-thinking individuals to plan for a better future for all of humanity and Earth.
The MCU's version appears to take a similar approach, even though it doesn't include such eclectic personalities as Alex Power, Dragon Man, the Moloids, and Spider-Man (even Doctor Doom was briefly invited to join the group).
Still, this Future Foundation's achievements are far-reaching, as we see their flag on the moon, suggesting they made it there before even NASA, which is named ANSA in this reality.
8. The Original Fantastic Four
Roger Corman's Fantastic Four movie from 1994 was never released in theaters. However, it did eventually leak online in its entirety and even spawned a fascinating documentary charting its bizarre journey to obscurity.
The movie starred Alex Hyde-White as Reed Richards, Rebecca Staab as Sue Storm, Jay Underwood as Johnny Storm, and Michael Bailey Smith as Ben Grimm. All four appear in this movie as ABC Newscaster William Russell, Power Plant Worker #1, Power Plant Worker #2, and Newscaster Carolyn Haynes, respectively.
Alas, Doctor Doom actor Joseph Culp does not appear in The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
7. Earth 828
The Fantastic Four: First Steps wastes no time in establishing that this story is playing out on Earth 828. While you might think that somehow connects it to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness's Earth 838, you'd be incorrect.
In the movie's end credits, a quote from Kirby is shown that reads, "If you look at my characters, you will find me. No matter what kind of character you create or assume, a little of yourself must remain there."
When it shows his birth date 8/28/17 (he died on 2/6/94), the month and year morph into "828," confirming that this world's designation was paying homage to the legendary writer and artist.
6. A Lot Of Classic Villains
In The Fantastic Four: First Steps' opening montage, we see the team—classic blue and black costumes, and all—doing battle with Mole Man and his monstrous Giganto. It's a brief scene, albeit one that perfectly re-creates the cover of Fantastic Four #1.
Mister Fantastic, meanwhile, is shown battling one of the Red Ghost's Super-Apes, though that was once part of a much bigger battle on the Excelsior launch pad, featuring John Malkovich as the Russian baddie. The Mad Thinker's attack on New York is also mentioned.
Later, when Reed attempts to "baby-proof" the world, we learn that Puppet Master, Wizard, and Diablo, three classic Fantastic Four villains, all exist on Earth 828.
5. Latveria And Doctor Doom
Doctor Doom appears in the movie's mid-credits scene, kneeling in front of young Franklin Richards with his mask in hand. Is he about to kidnap the boy, or using Franklin's Power Cosmic to heal his scarred face?
That will be answered in Avengers: Doomsday, but The Fantastic Four: First Steps gives us reason to believe that Doom hails from Earth 828.
In the United Nations, we see two references to Latveria, though no one from the country is on hand to represent the fictional country ruled over by Victor. An Easter Egg like that surely can't be a coincidence and feels very intentional.
4. Westview Appliances
When Marvel Studios originally announced plans for a Fantastic Four reboot, Spider-Man franchise director Jon Watts was supposed to be at the helm. However, shooting Spider-Man: No Way Home during the pandemic left him in desperate need of a break.
It was then that Kevin Feige turned to WandaVision helmer Matt Shakman. The filmmaker had already shown he had a firm grasp of period setting in the Disney+ series, and has since proven himself worthy of taking charge of this movie.
Keep your eyes peeled in Times Square, though, and you'll notice that there's a store called "Westview Appliances." That's a nod to the town the Scarlet Witch took control of, and a fun way to reference Shakman's history in the MCU.
3. Galactus' Origin Story
For some fans, Galactus didn't get enough screentime in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. He was certainly a villain that left us wanting more, but pay close attention, and you'll learn plenty about the Devourer of Worlds.
When he first appears, Galactus confirms he was also once "little" like the Fantastic Four, a nod to his life as Galan of Taa before his transformation into this endlessly hungry cosmic vampire.
Later, H.E.R.B.I.E.'s samples confirm that Galactus predates the universe, another reference to the comic books, where we learned during his debut that he was the last survivor of a previous universe, making him billions of years old.
2. Some Familiar Faces
The movie's opening montage confirms that the team stars in their own cartoon on Earth 828, though poor Ben Grimm seems sick and tired of people thinking "It's Clobberin' Time" is something he says for real (he finally does shout it during the final act).
We get to see the opening of that animated series in the post-credits scene, and watch as the heroes battle comic-accurate takes on Dragon Man, Diablo, Puppet Master, Wizard, and the Mad Thinker.
Even Red Ghost is shown, and seeing as he looks very much like what we saw of Malkovich's version of the villain in The Fantastic Four: First Steps' teaser, chances are this is how these bad guys would look in live-action, too.
1. Parallel Earths
The Fantastic Four: First Steps is a standalone movie, but aside from Doctor Doom's mid-credits cameo, there's one very important way it connects to the wider Multiverse Saga.
When Reed is attempting to teach kids science, he mentions that there's reason to believe parallel Earths exist. It's something the hero has been researching, and chances are, his Bridge tech could be what brings the heroes to Earth 616.
The Fantastic Four are confirmed to appear in Avengers: Doomsday, anyway, explaining why we saw the Excelsior rocketing into the atmosphere during Thunderbolts*'s New Avengers mid-credits scene.