How Fantastic Four: First Steps Sets Up Avengers: Doomsday

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is finally in theaters, kicking off Phase 6 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the official introduction of the fan-favorite superteam. Set in an alternate timeline named Earth-828, the movie tells a surprisingly self-contained adventure that is primarily concerned with delivering the high-quality storytelling of the best Marvel Studios productions. Still, MCU fans might be surprised to know the plot of The Fantastic Four: First Steps has little to do with the upcoming crossover events, Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. That’s not to say there’s no link between First Steps and Doomsday, as the movie does tease how everything fits together. However, apart from one of the movie’s two credit scenes, any clues about how the Fantastic Four fit into the MCU’s ambitious plans are mostly contextual.

Warning: Spoilers for The Fantastic Four: First Steps below.

The plot of The Fantastic Four: First Steps revolves around Marvel’s First Family’s dire encounter with Galactus, the Devourer of Worlds (Ralph Ineson). Doomed to feel an everlasting hunger that can only be appeased by the total consumption of worlds brimming with life, Galactus wanders the universe, devouring one planet-sized meal at a time. His emergence is always preceded by his herald, Shalla-Bal (Julia Garner), aka the Silver Surfer. She chooses Galactus’ targets after being bound to a life of servitude in exchange for the Devourer of Worlds sparing her home planet.

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By the time Shalla-Bal arrives on Earth, Sue (Vanessa Kirby) and Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal) are pregnant with their first child, Franklin. Little do they know that Fankling possesses the mysterious Power Cosmic, a source of energy that allows him to drain Galactus’ hunger, taking the Devourer of Worlds’ place and releasing him from his curse. Galactus offers a deal with the Fantastic Four, demanding the newborn child in exchange for Earth’s safety, a proposal the First Family refuses, leading to a race against the clock to stop Galactus. Yet, Galactus’ interest in Franklin is the first clue of how the Fantastic Four will get involved in Avengers: Doomsday, as the child’s powers will draw the attention of other big Marvel villains.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps Credit Scene Sets Up Avengers: Doomsday

The first credits scene of The Fantastic Four: First Steps takes place four years after the heroes teleported Galactus, without his ship, to a distant corner of the universe, leaving the villain stranded. In the scene, Sue goes to fetch a book for Franklin. When she returns to the living room, she sees a cloaked figure kneeling near her son. The figure is holding a metal mask and letting Franklin touch his face. That is, of course, Doctor Doom, to be played by Robert Downey Jr. in Avengers: Doomsday.

While the script of Avengers: Doomsday is still being written and its story is being kept under wraps, we know the movie will feature Doom as a major player in a multiversal adventure. As a brilliant scientist and a master of the mystic arts, it is likely that Doom became aware of Franklin’s powers at some point and intends to use the child to achieve his goals. The Fantastic Four: First Steps gives fans a glimpse of Franklin’s powers when he changes reality to bring Sue back to life, after she dies during the final confrontation with Galactus. So, there’s no telling how much Franklin can do as he grows older and stronger. 

If Marvel Studios draws inspiration from the comic books, Franklin will soon be able to create entire alternate dimensions, merge timelines, and change the rules of reality at will. All of these abilities will come in handy in a multiversal war. Since Doom will somehow be travelling between timelines, explaining how the Sacred Timeline and the X-Men from the Fox era will get involved with Avengers: Doomsday, Franklin might be the key to the story, a being capable of stopping (or creating) incursions with his thoughts alone.

We know from Thunderbolts* credits scene that the Fantastic Four’s ship, the Excelsior, will cross dimensions and end up in the Sacred Timeline. It’s fair to assume, then, that Doom could steal Franklin from Sue, leading the First Family on a chase after the villain to the Sacred Timeline. That would explain how all these heroes end up together, and why they will eventually join forces to stop Doom, whatever his plans might be. With more than a year before Avengers: Doomsday hit theaters, in December 2026, there’s still plenty of time for Marvel Studios to plant more narrative seeds that help fans better understand the big picture and how Doom will tie all these loose threads.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is currently available in theaters.

Why do you think Doctor Doom is after Franklin in the post-credits scene of The Fantastic Four: First Steps? Share your theories in the comments!