Marvel Studios made the right decision by setting The Fantastic Four: First Steps on Earth 828. Not only did that allow filmmaker Matt Shakman to make a movie inspired by the work of Jack Kirby, but it avoided the need for any convoluted explanations about the team's MCU absence.
Of course, that also meant the reboot was a largely standalone adventure and not full of the cameos and hints for the future we've grown used to. The result was a movie that felt like a breath of fresh air, and Easter Eggs were still plentiful.
With Avengers: Doomsday on the horizon, The Fantastic Four: First Steps still manages to lay at least some groundwork for where the franchise goes next. It also sets up this team's future, whether that's on the Sacred Timeline, Earth 828, or both.
In this feature, we're breaking down what might be next for the MCU's First Family. To learn more, click on the "Next"/"View List" buttons below.
5. Galactus, Stranded
In The Fantastic Four: First Steps' final act, Marvel's First Family manage to defeat Galactus (with an assist from Shalla-Bal), banishing the Devourer of Worlds to the edge of the universe. We're not sure what happened to his ship, but it didn't go with him.
Stranded millions of light-years away from Earth, Galactus isn't dead, but the team's planet will be safe from his insatiable appetite. This could be the end of the road for the villain, or a hint that he'll break through the edge of this parallel reality and perhaps find his way to, oh, Earth 616?
While we anticipate the MCU being rebooted after Avengers: Secret Wars, the way things are left for Galactus certainly opens the door to him returning when incursions begin in Doomsday, especially as those weaken the barriers between universes.
4. The Power Cosmic
Like Galactus, Franklin Richards is imbued with the Power Cosmic, making the Fantastic Four's youngest member the most powerful being in the universe. That's going to make him a major player in whichever reality he calls home.
The Power Cosmic is likely to extend beyond Franklin, especially if rumours about plans for Norrin Radd are correct. Galactus imbues his Heralds with the tiniest sliver of this immense cosmic energy, so it could come into play beyond just the Fantastic Four franchise.
For now, though, we'd expect the focus to remain on Franklin and what his burgeoning powers mean for the Multiverse. However, where that takes us remains to be seen, especially as the comic book Franklin is a mutant, not a wielder of the Power Cosmic.
3. The Bridge
The Fantastic Four: First Steps confirms that Reed Richards has been exploring the idea of parallel universes, and The Bridge —which is used as a teleportation system in this movie—will likely be what he uses to transport the team throughout the Multiverse.
In the comics, Reed uses The Bridge to observe different worlds, all to learn how they had achieved peace. It ultimately led to the introduction of the Interdimensional Council of Reeds, and returned in the build to Secret Wars as a means of keeping an eye on Incursions.
Not only will this tech be key to what we see in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, but if the Multiverse continues beyond the latter movie, this could mean the Fantastic Four remain on the retrofuturistic Earth 828 and travel back and forth between worlds.
2. 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 is similar, and devoted to making Earth 828 a peaceful, technological haven.
Like Stark Industries, we'd expect the Future Foundation to have a huge presence across the entire MCU post-Avengers: Secret Wars. Spider-Man, for example, might join its ranks, along with the likes of Riri Williams and Bruce Banner.
Sue Storm will likely remain the focal point of this group's peacekeeping efforts, with Reed serving as a mentor to all manner of intelligent heroes. It's an exciting prospect, and one that places the Fantastic Four at the heart of this shared world moving forward.
1. Doctor Doom And Franklin Richards
In The Fantastic Four: First Steps' mid-credits scene, Sue goes to get a book for her 4-year-old son and returns to find Doctor Doom kneeling in front of Franklin. He's removed his mask, perhaps suggesting that he's testing the boy's powers by getting him to heal his face.
That gives Marvel the chance to heavily feature Robert Downey Jr.'s face in trailers and the like, something we know is going to upset many of you. Still, it seems more likely than Doom's face being hidden the entire time (why Franklin makes him look like Tony Stark remains to be seen).
We'd like to think Doom does have a history with this iteration of the Fantastic Four, but when it comes to Franklin's involvement, we'd bet on Doom wanting to use—or steal—the Power Cosmic so he can "save" (and rule over) the Multiverse.