The Fantastic Four: First Steps Is More Important for the MCU Than You Realize

The Fantastic Four: First Steps will introduce Marvel’s first family of superheroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but their highly anticipated debut carries much more significance than most fans realize. Phase 6’s first movie centers on Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm/Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm/Human Torch (Joseph Quinn), and Ben Grimm/The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) as they fight to protect their world against Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and Shalla-Bal/Silver Surfer (Julia Garner). The Fantastic Four: First Steps takes place in a timeline separate from the MCU’s main universe, though the heroes will eventually arrive in Earth-616, as confirmed by the post-credits scene of Thunderbolts* and the Fantastic Four members’ involvement in 2026’s Avengers: Doomsday.

Avengers: Doomsday is the real make-or-break movie in the MCU’s near future, yet The Fantastic Four: First Steps remains almost as important. Several factors relating to the Fantastic Four’s revival, the film’s release in proximity to Doomsday, and the coinciding debut of the DC Universe with Superman two weeks earlier, cement The Fantastic Four: First Steps as the MCU’s most important movie since 2019’s Avengers: Endgame. A lot is riding on its success, and the MCU cannot afford to miss.

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The Significance of The Fantastic Four: First Steps Cannot Be Understated

As the third live-action film iteration of the titular team, The Fantastic Four: First Steps will face endless comparisons to the previous versions put forth in Fox’s 2005 and 2015 Fantastic Four movies — the former of which was followed by 2007’s Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. Neither of the aforementioned titles garnered much critical or fan praise – thus, the bar is set fairly low for The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Undeniably iconic comic book heroes, the Fantastic Four have frustratingly never reached their full potential in movies. If the MCU’s Fantastic Four emerges as the best rendition of the characters, comic book fans will be delighted, and faith in the MCU’s ability to reboot beloved heroes ahead of casting its new X-Men could be restored.

Fantastic Four: First Steps is the second-to-last MCU movie to hit theaters before Doomsday, adding another pivotal layer of expectations and stakes. Charged with providing an adequate setup for the first Avengers film in seven years, First Steps needs to thoroughly develop its characters before their high-stakes showdown with Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.) while providing enough context for Doomsday’s overarching plot. A good portion of fan hype for Doomsday will rely on the audience’s reception of The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

DC Is Starting Its Own New Universe

Lastly, factoring into the immense importance of The Fantastic Four: First Steps is its release date, just two weeks after the new DC Universe’s first movie, Superman, opens in theaters. Directed by James Gunn, Superman will introduce David Corenswet as the newest portrayal of the legendary hero, beginning a long-awaited new era of interconnected DC movies. It feels like forever since Marvel and DC films had an equal impact on the box office or on the superhero zeitgeist. Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy of the 2000s and early 2010s remains DC’s only model of consistent quality, while 2017’s Wonder Woman and 2018’s Aquaman prevailed as aberrations amid the DC Extended Universe’s messy and underwhelming slate. Meanwhile, the MCU has taken advantage of DC’s failures, captivating moviegoers with the Infinity Saga from 2008 to 2019, and has mostly maintained its cultural relevancy despite some hiccups in the years following Avengers: Endgame.

But, with Superman arriving right before The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Gunn’s DCU has the chance to generate genuine competition with the MCU for years to come. There will be a box office battle between The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Superman, and the two movies will also compete for the approval of critics and audiences. Twin revivals of iconic superheroes should make for a fun duel this summer. Even though Superman is only one movie, it’s likely the start of a new era in which Marvel and DC vie for supremacy in the genre.

The MCU Could Be in Trouble if The Fantastic Four: First Steps Fails

A ton is at stake for the MCU with The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Although Thunderbolts* helped breathe new life into the franchise, The Fantastic Four: First Steps must carry the momentum into Avengers: Doomsday. The MCU can neither afford a box-office bomb nor a critical reception failure here, as the countdown to its all-important next Avengers outing wanes. With Superman setting the bar for success a couple of weeks earlier, The Fantastic Four: First Steps needs to match or exceed the response to the DCU’s flagship film. If The Fantastic Four: First Steps falls short, the MCU’s will be limping into Doomsday, which already lacks sufficient buildup. The MCU has to get The Fantastic Four: First Steps right to bring the best version of the Fantastic Four to the big screen, to establish a proper preface for Avengers: Doomsday, and to prove that it still dominates the superhero genre. 

The Fantastic Four: First Steps opens in theaters on July 25th.