Possible spoilers follow for The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps is less than a month away (at the time of publication) from landing in theaters.
With Marvel's next movie set to arrive on July 25, the comic book titan is not only ramping up its promotional campaign for said film, but it's also dropped some exciting new details about the group's next big-screen reboot and their future in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Here are the three biggest reveals that hit the internet yesterday (June 18).
1. Another villainous unveiled via a... pizza ad?
First Steps will primarily pit Marvel's First Family against the planet-devouring cosmic entity known as Galactus. He'll be voiced by The Office UK alumnus Ralph Ineson, for those who aren't aware.
There are other villains who'll appear throughout the MCU film, though. Julia Garner is set to play another antagonistic figure in The Silver Surfer, aka Galactus' Herald. Meanwhile, The Fantastic Four: First Steps' initial trailer teased the mysterious individual that John Malkovich will play. MCU devotees think he's playing a B-list villain Red Ghost. Oh, and there are rumors that another cast member in Paul Walter Hauser will portray another of the group's regular comic book foes in Mole Man.
Think four villains is more than enough? Think again. Revealed by the most unlikely of sources – a new First Steps tie-in ad for US fast-food chain Little Caesar's Pizza, no less – the monstrous creature known as Giganto will also appear in the forthcoming superhero film.
We already knew Giganto would be part of the parallel universe that The Fantastic Four inhabit before they cross over into the MCU (more on this shortly). Indeed, Giganto features on the cover a forthcoming First Steps prequel comic book that acts as an origins story for the titular team and how they acquired their superpowers.
I'd be amazed if this Giganto-starring scene is more than a footnote in, say, a longer sequence – in the movie's first act – that shows The Fantastic Four defeating various enemies and hailed as heroes by their universe's version of Earth. Nonetheless, I'm delighted to see the team's first-ever adversary feature in some capacity, even if Giganto's CGI recreation looks a little off.
2. The Fantastic Four: First Steps' ending will directly lead into Avengers: Doomsday
This reveal won't come as a shock to many MCU fans. After all, First Steps is one of two Marvel Phase 6 movies that'll land in theaters before Avengers: Doomsday does so in its revised December 2026 release slot. The other film, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, is currently slated to arrive in July 2026, but its launch could be delayed again if the joint Sony-Marvel venture's story needs to follow the events of Avengers: Doomsday.
But I digress. Speaking during Disney's CineEurope 2025 presentation, Marvel President Kevin Feige confirmed (per Deadline) that the next Avengers film will directly follow on from First Steps.
Thunderbolts' post-credits scene already gave us an idea that this would be the case. Nevertheless, I was pleased to directly hear it from Feige himself. Does that mean Robert Downey Jr's Doctor Doom will make a crowd-pleasing cameo before First Steps' main story ends or in one of its end credits scenes? Here's hoping!
3. A sequel to The Fantastic Four: First Steps might be in early development
Announced at CineEurope 2025, Disney also revealed that a fourth Marvel movie has been added to its 2028 calendar. Currently, the untitled movie will launch in cinemas worldwide on December 15. If it does, it'll join three other MCU films that are set to arrive in February, May, and November of that year.
According to Variety, there are three possible candidates to fill that final 2028 slot – and one of them is reportedly a follow-up to the first Fantastic Four film, i.e. First Steps, that Marvel Studios has produced.
If a sequel is already in the works, it suggests Marvel is bullish about First Steps' chances of being a huge global hit. Of course, a second Fantastic Four MCU movie will depend on its critical reception and, more importantly, how much money it makes. However, given the group's enduring popularity, its starry cast, and the fact it'll set up events to come in the Downey Jr-led fifth Avengers flick, I'd be amazed if First Steps trips over itself and stumbles out of the gate.
With its first two films of 2025 failing to make a profit, Marvel could use a box office win. Equally, The Fantastic Four has plenty of untapped cinematic potential following the abject-to-lukewarm responses that the group's other film adaptations, which are available to stream on Disney+, received. I'm praying, then, that First Steps is a huge success and heralds a new golden age for Marvel's First Family on the silver screen.
For more details on one of my most anticipated new movies of the year, check out my definitive guide on The Fantastic Four: First Steps. And let me know in the comments if you'll be heading to theaters to watch it.
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