For more than a decade, the Marvel Cinematic Universe was built upon the bedrock of its founding heroes, with characters like Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) and Captain America (Chris Evans) serving as the franchise’s narrative anchors. In the turbulent era following Avengers: Endgame, the studio has visibly struggled to find a new cornerstone, leaving audiences to wonder about the future of its sprawling narrative. That search now appears to be over, thanks to the phenomenal release of The Fantastic Four: First Steps. The film, which introduces Marvel’s First Family to the MCU, feels both refreshingly distinct and foundational. This is largely thanks to director Matt Shakman, who brings the same masterful touch for blending high-concept genre ideas with sincere character drama that earned him acclaim for WandaVision.
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Shakman’s vision for The Fantastic Four: First Steps is brought to life by a stellar cast, featuring Pedro Pascal’s Reed Richards, Vanessa Kirby’s Sue Storm, Joseph Quinn’s Johnny Storm, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach’s Ben Grimm. The story follows the First Family in a vibrant retro-futuristic adventure that pits the heroes against the terrifying cosmic power of Galactus (Ralph Ineson). With its debut met by a wave of enthusiastic praise from critics and audiences, the film has firmly established its importance, leading directly to the most pressing question: What comes next?
Is The Fantastic Four: First Steps Getting a Sequel?
Marvel entered 2025 weathering a storm of audience fatigue and a string of unprecedented financial disappointments that called its entire high-budget model into question. Both Captain America: Brave New World, which took in a meager $415.1 million globally, and Thunderbolts*, which fared even worse with $381.9 million, were losses for the studio. Against this bleak backdrop, First Steps has emerged as a welcome course correction. The film shattered records with a $24.5 million haul from its Thursday previews alone, signaling immense audience anticipation that translated into a domestic opening weekend of $118 million, with another $100 million coming from international markets, a number comparable to DC Studios hit Superman, which opened with $220 million total. This commercial success is directly tied to The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ critical acclaim, with reviewers widely praising the film’s heartfelt focus on family and character, a quality many felt had been missing from the MCU for years.
Despite The Fantastic Four: First Steps‘ sound commercial launch and glowing reviews, Marvel Studios has not made any official announcement regarding a direct sequel, despite early reports pointing to one. This silence, however, is a direct result of a major strategic pivot for the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe. After years of audience complaints about “superhero fatigue” and a noticeable dip in the consistency and quality of its projects, Disney CEO Bob Iger confirmed that Marvel was hitting the brakes and reducing its output of movies and TV shows. This new “less is more” philosophy is designed to give the studio’s creative teams the breathing room necessary to deliver high-quality films that feel like genuine cinematic events.
In addition, Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige has admitted that the previous relentless pace of content could make keeping up with the overarching story feel like “homework” for audiences. The current slowdown is a direct response to that feedback, aiming to restore a sense of prestige and excitement to the MCU brand.
A sequel to First Steps, therefore, seems to be not a matter of if, but when. While the studio’s release calendar is largely mapped out on the road to Avengers: Secret Wars in 2027, several dates in 2028 and beyond remain open. It is in this post-saga landscape that a sequel logically fits. Nevertheless, it wouldn’t make sense for Marvel Studios to announce a sequel right away, even if one is planned, as their focus is to wrap up the shaky Multiversal Saga with Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, before moving ahead with a clean slate and focused release schedule.
The Fantastic Four Are in the MCU to Stay
Even without a sequel formally on the schedule, Marvel has already woven the Fantastic Four so intricately into the fabric of its future plans that their long-term role is guaranteed. The entire main cast is already confirmed to appear in Avengers: Doomsday, the epic 2026 crossover that serves as the first part of the closing chapter of the Multiverse Saga. The narrative justification for this is made explicit in the mid-credits scene of First Steps. The scene reveals that the iconic villain Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.) is fully aware of the family and has a chilling interest in their infant son, Franklin Richards, whose reality-bending powers are established within the film. This brilliant narrative stroke makes the Fantastic Four’s personal struggle the direct catalyst for the entire saga’s climax, ensuring their story is the engine driving the multiversal war to come.
Furthermore, the team’s integration into the wider MCU is being reinforced from multiple angles. The post-credits scene of Thunderbolts* already provided a critical piece of the puzzle, showing the team’s signature ship, the Excelsior, crashing into the MCU’s Sacred Timeline. The clear implication is that Doctor Doom’s hunt for Franklin will force the family on a dimension-hopping chase that brings them face-to-face with the Avengers. All of this assures fans that the Fantastic Four are a cornerstone of everything that is to come, making a second solo film a logical next step for Marvel Studios.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps is currently available in theaters.
What storyline would you like to see in a sequel to The Fantastic Four: First Steps? Share your picks in the comments!
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Image Courtesy of DC Comics -
Image courtesy of Marvel Studios.
