Marvel Studios is far from its prime. It’s an uphill battle for some of the company’s TV shows to hit Fresh on the Tomatometer, and movies aren’t doing much better. However, in the grand scheme of things, films set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe still bring in their fair share of dough. The final tally for Thunderbolts* is well over $300 million, and Marvel Studios’ other 2025 movie, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, has $520 million in its war chest. That’s a far cry from the likes of Avengers: Infinity War and Spider-Man: No Way Home, but streaming changes the game, as fans know they can wait to watch the next film at home.
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As of today, November 5, 2025, First Steps is available to stream on Disney+. That means a new audience will discover the movie and look to uncover all of its secrets. There are a fair number, though, so it’s easy to let one slip past here and there. Here are seven obscure Marvel Easter eggs and references you might’ve missed in First Steps.
7) Giganto
Unlike most superhero movies, First Steps isn’t an origin story. The titular team has been moving and shaking for a couple of years, and the film shows some of their exploits, including battles against Red Ghost and Mole Man. During one particularly nasty fight, the Fantastic Four face off against a giant green monster. In the comics, his name is Giganto, and he appears on the cover of 1961’s The Fantastic Four #1.
6) Space Dragon
Silver Surfer throws a wrench in Earth’s plan to live in peace by announcing that her boss, Galactus, is heading toward the planet and intends to eat it. Naturally, the Fantastic Four spring into action and seek an audience with the Devourer of Worlds. But they don’t know what to expect, so Ben Grimm theorizes that they might come face to face with a “space dragon.” That doesn’t end up being the case, but what the words do set up is the arrival of Fin Fang Foom, an Iron Man villain who may appear in the inevitable Shang-Chi sequel.
5) Galactus’ Origin
The Fantastic Four’s meeting with Galactus doesn’t start on the right foot because he offers to spare the Earth in exchange for Reed Richards and Sue Storm’s son. What’s easy to overlook during the conversation is that Galactus mentions that he was once as small as the beings standing before him. That aligns with Marvel Comics’ lore: Galactus’ original name was Galan, and he was the last known survivor of a lost galaxy.
4) WHiH
The media plays a significant role in First Steps, reporting on the comings and goings of Marvel’s First Family, including when the public turns on the team after they meet with Galactus. One of the new sources with the most influence is WHiH, which also appears in Iron Man 2 and several other MCU projects. WHiH even gets to report on the arrival of the New Avengers at the end of Thunderbolts*.
3) Zenn-La
The Silver Surfer acts as Galactus’ enforcer throughout First Steps, doing all his dirty work, since it takes a lot of effort for him to get off his throne. Johnny Storm uses that to his advantage by learning her backstory, which involves her agreeing to work for the Devourer of Worlds to save her planet. Shalla-Bal’s home makes a brief appearance in the movie during a flashback. While no one utters its name, it’s obviously Zenn-La, the place Norrin Radd also hangs up his board in Marvel Comics.
2) The Original Fantastic Four
None of the actors from the other big-screen Fantastic Four movies make an appearance during First Steps. Maybe Marvel Studios thought it would be too distracting, or schedules didn’t work out to make a cameo work. However, one live-action version of the team does return. All four of the leads from the unreleased 1994 Fantastic Four film appear as grateful members of the public during a montage scene at the beginning of First Steps.
1) Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
The final easy-to-miss Easter egg from First Steps comes when the Silver Surfer first arrives on Earth. The residents of New York City can’t believe their eyes, with many of them gathering to witness the monumental event. Two men can’t head outside because they’re stuck in the office working on comic books, but they still take the opportunity to look out the window. They resemble Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Marvel legends and the creators of the Fantastic Four.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps is streaming on Disney+.
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