Disney appears to have quietly settled the future of the Fantastic Four franchise after its first MCU outing delivered solid reviews but muted box office returns.
Last year’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025) was a long time coming. In March 2019, Marvel Studios regained the film rights to the Fantastic Four and their associated characters after Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox. While the studio had long teased plans to get its vision of the franchise off the ground, it took six years for it to come to fruition – but was it worth the wait?
The Fantastic Four: First Steps follows 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) in a retro-futuristic world threatened by Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and Silver Surfer (Julia Garner).
Critically, the film landed better than many expected. With an 86% Rotten Tomatoes score, it avoided the harsh reassessments that plagued earlier iterations.
That goodwill, however, did not fully translate into blockbuster returns during its theatrical run.
At the global box office, The Fantastic Four: First Steps earned $521.9 million. The total marked a franchise high, yet remained modest by modern MCU standards, particularly for a project designed to introduce cornerstone characters with long-term narrative importance.
Those numbers sparked industry speculation about the team’s future. Marvel has recently pulled back on aggressive expansion, shelving or retooling several projects amid rising costs and audience scrutiny. Under those conditions, a Fantastic Four sequel seemed uncertain.
Marvel’s Long Game With Familiar Heroes
Despite doubts, Marvel appears to be playing a longer game.
According to industry insider @MyTimeToShineH, the studio is quietly moving forward with plans for another installment.
“Despite not being a huge box office hit, Marvel [is still planning] a Fantastic Four 2 post–Secret Wars and wants Matt Shakman back to direct,” they wrote. “They believe the team’s role in the Avengers films will draw more people to see the sequel.”
That confidence is rooted in precedent. Marvel has repeatedly used ensemble appearances to reinvigorate individual franchises, turning crossover exposure into standalone box office momentum.
Captain Marvel (2019) famously crossed $1 billion after a brief but strategic tease in Avengers: Infinity War (2018). Similar bumps followed The Avengers (2012), which boosted later entries for Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America.
From a business perspective, Fantastic Four may simply be early in its arc. Marvel has historically treated origin-era installments as foundations rather than endpoints, especially when characters are expected to anchor larger crossover narratives.
This strategy suggests that the team’s true introduction may still be unfolding, less through solo storytelling and more through integration into Marvel’s next Avengers cycle.
What Avengers: Doomsday Signals Next
That integration appears imminent. Avengers: Doomsday (2026) will feature Doctor Doom as its central antagonist, a character deeply intertwined with Fantastic Four lore and teased in the post-credits scene of The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
Doctor Doom’s presence alone implies a substantial role for the quartet. Historically, the character functions less as a shared-universe villain and more as a personal foil, making their involvement narratively difficult to sidestep.
Recent reports indicate Avengers: Doomsday will conduct additional shoots in April. Whether those scenes include expanded Fantastic Four material has not been confirmed, though speculation continues to build within industry circles.
One casting choice has already drawn attention. Robert Downey Jr. is set to portray Doctor Doom, a decision that has divided fans and commentators alike, given his iconic status as Tony Stark.
Critics argue the move risks signaling creative retrenchment, leaning on familiar faces to stabilize a franchise navigating mixed recent returns. Supporters counter that Downey’s involvement underscores Marvel’s intent to elevate the film’s stakes.
Are you excited for Fantastic Four 2?
