Wait, Will There Be More Fantastic Four MCU Movies?

As part of its marquee presentation at Comic-Con International 2024 in San Diego, Marvel Studios unveiled the official title for the first Fantastic Four movie set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe: The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Here’s why plans for a possible sequel shouldn’t come as a surprise.

The MCU Fantastic Four Title Revealed

While there have been two prior attempts to launch The Fantastic Four as a cinematic series, none have so boldly laid out their plans for sequels in their titles like the MCU’s 2025 movie may have. The First Steps title immediately signals to the audience that there are (probably) long-term plans for a big-screen future for this iteration of the Fantastic Four in the MCU. The title also distances the upcoming MCU film further from the 2005 movie and, especially, the poorly received 2015 reboot that marked the team’s last full cinematic appearance.

In this world of major studio tentpole releases where everything is being positioned as its own larger franchise, the idea of Marvel Studios planning a sequel to its upcoming Fantastic Four launch shouldn’t come as a shock at all. Having said that, Marvel Studios does have a fairly recognizable pattern whenever it establishes a sub-series within the MCU, which its plans for the Fantastic Four shouldn’t deviate too much from if at all. Here is how Marvel Studios usually handles sequels for its various sub-franchises and what is likely to unfold for the MCU’s Fantastic Four.

The Nature of MCU Franchises

Historically, Marvel Studios would sign its key talent to six-film contracts, with the expectation being that its stars would appear in three solo films within their respective sub-series and three ensemble appearances in bigger blockbusters like The Avengers. Occasionally, with Marvel Studios’ more successful sub-series and talent that remains onboard, sub-franchises like Thor and Spider-Man have received a fourth installment while their number of ensemble appearances has similarly extended. This has become more flexible following the release of Avengers: Endgame, but Marvel Studios does maintain plans for its movies to receive their own sequels as many major studios do with their tentpole releases.

With that in mind, it should be expected that the Fantastic Four will follow similar plans, likely in the form of its own trilogy. This does not preclude the possibilities of the Fantastic Four appearing beyond the events of Fantastic Four: First Steps but in larger MCU projects as Marvel’s First Family solidifies its presence in the shared cinematic universe, most likely in both film and television productions. In fact, several details about the Fantastic Four’s MCU future have already become widely known.

The Fantastic Four’s Future

With the announcement of Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars by Marvel Studios at Comic-Con International 2024, the Fantastic Four were confirmed to be a major part of both Avengers movies when they hit theaters in 2026 and 2027, respectively. It can be inferred that the Fantastic Four may appear in different MCU movies or original series on Disney+, either as an entire ensemble or with some of the individual members. Marvel Studios has spent a long time preparing the Fantastic Four for a prominent role in the MCU, and this won’t be relegated to a single film by any means.

Because of cinematic licensing, studio acquisitions, and production delays, it has taken Marvel Studios years to get the Fantastic Four into the MCU. With The Fantastic Four: First Steps taking place in its own unique place within the greater MCU timeline, the group is sure to have an unconventional future in the MCU but an important role to play in the shared cinematic universe nonetheless. And one can be sure that Marvel Studios has more than one starring movie planned for the Fantastic Four should this cinematic introduction prove even remotely successful.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is slated to hit theaters on July 25, 2025.