I’ll admit it: I was a sufferer of “superhero fatigue” until July hit on the 2025 movie schedule. Then something SuperFantastic happened – thanks to the double play of DC’s Superman and Marvel’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Both films are brilliant, with an optimism and heart that brightened the world of four-panel adaptations in a way we haven’t seen in a while.
In the case of the hotly-anticipated Fantastic Four reboot, some might be satisfied with merely asking for sequels. I’m not one of those people though, as I recognize a special potential this pretty standalone movie could realize.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps Should Start A Parallel Universe Of Movies
As my friend and CinemaBlend colleague Dirk Libbey pointed out, First Steps takes advantage of the Marvel multiverse in a way that should have happened way sooner. Director Matt Shakman’s super-story revels in the retro-futuristic ‘60s of Earth-828, and it’s an artful contrast from what we’ve come to expect from most Marvel movies so far.
The closest analog I can think of is when Captain America: The First Avenger brought us back to the ‘40s of Earth-616. We haven’t seen that sort of gorgeous throwback given the feature-length treatment in some time;\, and the possibilities are too beautiful to let go.
Part of the reason is probably because the mainline MCU universe is preoccupied with the contemporary present, save for some flashbacks. Setting The Fantastic Four: First Steps in an alternate version of the past is pretty brilliant, and it’s a choice that I think should start a series of Earth-828 movies that exceed just sequels to one of my favorite movies of the summer.
More Retro-Futuristic Adventures In Earth-828 Would Be A Plus
If you need a brief crash course on the Marvel multiverse, we’ve covered that business elsewhere. Just know that with a new universe comes new opportunities to see characters realized in a new light. It’s one that, in the case of First Steps, would look more like Walt Disney‘s Tomorrowland – a.k.a. “the future MCU I’m dreaming of.”
Seeing as the team of Pedro Pascal‘s Reed Richards, Vanessa Kirby’s Sus Storm, Joseph Quinn‘s Johnny Storm and Ebon Moss-Bachrach‘s Ben Grimm are considered the first superheroes of their home universe, there’s room for so much more to unfold. Like, say, an entire movie about Paul Walter Hauser’s scene-stealing Harvey “Mole Man” Elder.
In one of the several parallels between Iron Man and First Steps, it’s like Marvel Studios stepped back into 2008 with a fresh MCU to develop as it sees fit. If the ‘60s were this much fun, imagine how alternate versions of other decades in Earth-828’s history could play out? Also, with the Multiversal Theory requiring an “anchor being” to keep a certain world alive, figuring out who that is in this pocket of Marvel magic would only add to the fun.
Marvel Adopting DC’s Elseworlds Model Could Fight “Superhero Fatigue”
As seen with DC Studios’ creative force/co-CEO James Gunn, the concept of Elseworlds is alive and well. While Superman is the cinematic kickoff for the DCU’s Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters, Matt Reeves’ The Batman Crime Saga is allowed to exist concurrently due to it being an Elseworlds property.
That advantage could allow Kevin Feige and his team to explore the major phases of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. You could also potentially eliminate one of the biggest criticisms Marvel Studios seems to incur, allowing fans more time to “do the homework” with their Disney+ subscription.
Playing with other worlds that aren’t necessarily connected is kind of a clean slate to do anything that would go against the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s spirit. Three seasons of the Disney+ original What If… is a proper test case for being allowed to do such a thing.
Now take that thinking and use it to infuse unlimited creativity that operates on a scaled back budget. Marvel can follow all sorts of threads, like the long defunct Damage Control adaptation, while letting us have time to miss the MCU’s brand of adventure.
Adapting The Movies In The Fantastic Four’s World Wouldn’t Hurt Either
I can’t be the only person who wants to know more about films like The Emperor’s Twin, Attack of the Fungi and, of course, the potential Captain America easter egg that is Subzero Intel. Knowing that we were watching another universe in The Fantastic Four: First Steps had me questioning what the pictures of that world would look like – or what their stories would cover.
The upcoming Marvel TV show Wonder Man almost sounds like it’s covering similar ground, as Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s Simon Williams is going to be shown as acting in his own superhero series. That cleverly meta-approach shouldn’t be reserved for Earth-616, as there’s some fun and original paths to be taken in the Marvel Cinematic Universe presented in these titles.
The MCU Would Have More Time To Rest Between Mainline Entries
Imagine if The Fantastic Four: First Steps had premiered in the post-Avengers: Endgame slot that Spider-Man: Far from Home had. Audiences could have had a break in-between The Infinity Saga and The Multiverse Saga, while also seeing some comic movie action in theaters.
That sort of breather could have allowed the Marvel Studios writers room to take a little more time to plot out where to go next, instead of basically using a marquee superhero’s next picture as a feature-length post-credits sequence.
With projects of this variety providing gaps in-between main events, The Multiverse Saga’s course corrections (like the change that saw Avengers: The Kang Dynasty morph into Doomsday) would have had extra time to truly develop. Even the bittersweet rewrites of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever could have benefitted, removing Team Marvel’s seemingly relentless march of progress from the equation, and allowing everyone time to properly grieve.
Back in 2014, Kevin Feige’s MCU wall chart was an innovation that changed the game in Hollywood. Several failed Hollywood cinematic universes, and some perceived whiffs from Marvel Studios, later, it feels like time to move on. That doesn’t mean massive shared stories need to go away, but rather we should be trying out hybrids that maintain serialization, while also allowing creativity to slip the leash and run wild.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps saw the First Family of Heroes save the day against Galactus. Should Marvel heed the lesson in this hypothetical scenario, they could rescue an entire cinematic money maker in the process too. Form your own opinions by seeing this fantastic movie, which is currently showing in theaters.