Fantastic Four: First Steps Concept Art Contains Clever Spider-Man Easter Egg

Concept art for The Fantastic Four: First Steps has leaked online alongside images from Avengers: Doomsday, giving fans unexpected insights into Marvel’s upcoming slate. While the Doomsday leaks have generated buzz with glimpses of Doctor Doom and potential character groupings, a seemingly minor detail in the Fantastic Four artwork reveals a major contradiction to what we’ve been told about the film’s setting. This Spider-Man Easter egg, hidden in plain sight, potentially transforms our understanding of how the Fantastic Four’s world connects to the broader Marvel Cinematic Universe. Fans should approach these leaks with caution, as they may contain significant spoilers for both films and beyond.

WARNING: Potential spoilers below for The Fantastic Four: First Steps

The revealing concept art, by Marvel artist Mushk Rizni, depicts Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby) using her invisible force field powers to create a protective bubble around her young son Franklin, who is about to fall off a couch. What catches the eye isn’t Sue’s display of power, but Franklin’s clothing: the child is wearing Spider-Man pajamas. This seemingly innocent detail directly contradicts what we’ve been told about the film’s timeline placement within Marvel’s multiverse.

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Director Matt Shakman has repeatedly stated that The Fantastic Four: First Steps takes place in an alternate timeline with what he calls a “retro-future ’60s” setting. “We’re not just doing the ’60s, we’re doing retro-future ’60s,” Shakman explained at Comic-Con 2024. “It’s part what you know from the 1960s, but part what you’ve never seen before.” This suggested the film was set in an actual 1960s era, albeit one with advanced technology, where the Fantastic Four emerged as Earth’s premier superhero team instead of the Avengers.

However, the presence of Spider-Man merchandise creates an immediate timeline problem. In Marvel’s established continuity, Peter Parker wasn’t born until the early 2000s and only became Spider-Man as a teenager in the modern era. For Spider-Man to exist in the Fantastic Four’s world — let alone be established enough to appear on children’s clothing — their timeline can’t possibly be set in the actual 1960s.

The Spider-Man Easter Egg Reveals the True Nature of First Steps‘ Setting

The Spider-Man pajamas suggest that The Fantastic Four: First Steps isn’t set in the past at all, but rather in a contemporary alternate universe that simply developed with 1960s Space Age aesthetics and technology. This revelation transforms our understanding of what Shakman meant by “retro-future ’60s.” If the Spider-Man Easter egg was introduced at Marvel Studios’ request, then The Fantastic Four: First Steps is not a period piece set in an alternate 1960s, but a present-day world that evolved along different cultural and technological lines, maintaining retro design sensibilities into the modern era.

This interpretation makes more sense when considering what is shown in The Fantastic Four: First Steps trailer. While the architecture, fashion, and technology have distinct 1960s inspirations, they’re clearly more advanced than actual 1960s technology, featuring design elements that feel timeless rather than historically accurate. The timeline clarification also explains other elements fans have spotted, such as the structural similarities between the Baxter Building and Avengers Tower. Rather than being separated by decades of architectural evolution, they’re parallel developments in different contemporary timelines, making their resemblance more logical.

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Finally, the Easter egg allows other heroes to exist in the Fantastic Four’s universe. If Spider-Man is established enough to have pajamas based on his uniform, other familiar characters might appear as variants unique to this timeline. This creates exciting possibilities for cameos or supporting roles that could further illuminate the differences between this universe and the MCU’s Sacred Timeline.

While concept art doesn’t guarantee what will appear in the final film, this seemingly minor detail is still noteworthy. We’ll learn the truth once The Fantastic Four: First Steps hits theaters on July 25, 2025.

Do you think the Spider-Man pajamas are just a playful detail added by the artist without Marvel Studios’ direct input? Or could it mean something more? Would you like to see Avengers variants in The Fantastic Four: First Steps? Join the discussion in the comments!