Marvel Studios released the first teaser trailer for The Fantastic Four: First Steps earlier this week along with some unique posters which, briefly, caused some AI-related controversy (in reality, it was just bad Photoshop - you can read more here).
Now that's over with, fans believe they've spotted a potentially major Easter Egg on one of the posters which pays homage to Kurt Busiek and Alex Ross' 1994 four-issue comic book series, Marvels.
As you can see in the Reddit post below, the photographer pit front and centre bears a striking resemblance to Philip Sheldon. In the comic, he's a news photographer who witnesses some incredible moments in Marvel Comics history - over several decades - from the perspective of an Everyman.
"Same outfit, one eye covered by the camera (hiding the eye patch?), same age," this fan points out. "Sheldon was photographing all the major canon MCU events during the golden age of comics, so this would fit."
It's hard to deny the similarity and, while this may be little more than a fun Easter Egg included on the poster for fans, it's possible Sheldon will have a small role to play in The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
After all, with filmmaker Matt Shakman embracing the 1960s aesthetic and likely paying homage to that era of Marvel Comics storytelling, there are bound to be plenty of similar deep-cut references for longtime comic book fans.
For now, you can read our breakdown of The Fantastic Four: First Steps trailer by clicking here.
Possible Philip Sheldon Cameo in F4 Poster?
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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.