Fantastic Four: First Steps Director Reveals Who Filmed the Post Credits Scene (and It Makes Sense)

The Fantastic Four: First Steps director Matt Shakman confirms he was not the one who filmed the movie’s post-credits scene. During an interview with ComicBook to promote the upcoming release of First Steps, Shakman revealed Avengers: Doomsday duo Joe and Anthony Russo were the ones who helmed the Fantastic Four stinger. The sequence was shot during production of Doomsday, which began filming earlier this year. Shakman also said he didn’t have any difficulties passing things off to the Russos, praising them for their collaborative nature. The Russos were “very involved” during the making of First Steps to familiarize themselves with the characters.

“Not at all, especially when I”m handing them off to the Russo brothers who are amazing at what they do and they’re lovely, generous people,” Shakman said when asked if it was hard to see the Russos take over. “They were very involved and as we were making this film, they wanted to visit our sets and watch scenes as they were coming together and get to know these characters so they could treat them well, do right by them in the next movie. They’re really good protectors of these characters as well. I often think of working at Marvel as like running a relay race. You pass the baton, you run as hard and fast as you can with it for that section of the race that belongs to you, and then you pass that baton. I passed it on to Joe and Anthony and they’re off and running, and that’s great.”

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The Fantastic Four: First Steps stinger was handled very similarly to the Thunderbolts* post-credits scene. While Jake Schreier helmed Thunderbolts*, the Russos shot the film’s button scene, which depicts the New Avengers witnessing the Fantastic Four’s arrival to the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s main Earth-616 reality. Schreier told us that the Thunderbolts* post-credits scene came together very late in the process and was only filmed shortly before the film hit theaters.

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It’s already been confirmed that The Fantastic Four: First Steps stars Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach will appear in both Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers Secret Wars, making them integral parts of the Multiverse Saga’s conclusion. Marvel is also reportedly developing a Fantastic Four sequel; that project was recently listed as a possibility for the film that will take the December 2028 release date Disney claimed for an untitled Marvel movie.

With the Fantastic Four set to have a key role in Avengers: Doomsday, it makes sense the Russos were the ones who directed the First Steps post-credits scene. A lot of MCU button sequences help set the table for future developments, offering fans a tease of what’s coming next. The Thunderbolts* post-credits scene certainly fit that mold, establishing the state of the Avengers and Earth’s heroes prior to Doctor Doom’s arrival. Additionally, with the Fantastic Four cast likely on set for Doomsday, it was probably easier to let the Russos handle the First Steps stinger from a logistical standpoint. The Thunderbolts* post-credits sequence is actually apparently a scene from Doomsday, so the same could be true in the case of Fantastic Four.

As is the case with most MCU post-credits scenes, it’ll be interesting to see what the stinger in The Fantastic Four: First Steps entails. It will likely do something to set up the team’s next appearance in Doomsday, perhaps showing them meeting the Avengers. Another possibility is teasing the Fantastic Four’s showdown with Doctor Doom, one of their most notorious enemies from the comics. There’s going to be a long wait for the next Marvel movie after First Steps finishes its theatrical run, so perhaps Marvel will look to generate some buzz by giving fans a snippet of Robert Downey Jr.’s villain.