The Marvel Cinematic Universe spawns infinite rumors with its most minor movements. Every new project has countless potential points of connection to the previous ones. Some of these theories will turn out to be true, while the majority will disappear into nothingness. The hype surroundingFantastic Fourhas led many fans to imagine that the film will introduce a new universe in Marvel’s cosmology. While that isn’t guaranteed yet, it’s interesting to speculate how other heroes might appear in this theoretical new dimension.
Marvel has leaned into themultiverse concept for obvious reasons. The idea of an infinite expanse of alternate realities is just as appealing for film producers as it was for comic book publishers. There are a lot of interesting things the franchise could do with the concept. It mainly uses it as a fun way to consistently increase the scale until it leaves any reasonable expectation of relatable human drama. Nonetheless, some fans believe thatFantastic Fourwill be the first of several superheroes to start outside the prime Marvel universe.
Release Date
July 13, 2025
News has been relatively scarceaboutThe Fantastic Four. Marvel entered a strange slump in 2023, struggling to drum up much attention for most of their projects. This led the studio to slow its output and rely more heavily on fewer films and shows. Of all the things on the Marvel slate, fans only really showed an impressive amount of excitement about two.Deadpool & Wolverineisn’t out at the time of this writing, but it’s already set to break box-office records. Whether it works or not, the film will be a tremendous shot in Marvel’s arm. The only other project fans seem eager to see isThe Fantastic Four. This has led to acomical mountain of speculationbased around a couple of pictures and a few rumors.
The Fantastic Fourdropped a couple ofnotable photos to promotethe film, despite it still being a year away. The first piece of concept art suggested a period setting.The Fantastic Fouris inextricably tied to its 1960s origin in a way that really doesn’t affect most other heroes. This led the filmmakers to set the project in the 1960s. Kevin Feige confirmed thatThe Fantastic Fourwould be a period piece, setting the film’s action in the 1960s. This takes care of the obvious questions involving The Fantastic Four’s whereabouts during the previousAvengersfilms and any concerns about the concept’s old-fashioned style. Shortly after theOfficial Marvel Podcastmoment in which Feige confirmed the film’s period setting, he discussed another piece of art. Feige said:
There was a cityscape in the corner of that image and there were a lot of smart people who noticed that that cityscape didn’t look exactly like the New York that we know or the New York that existed in the ‘60s in our world. And those are smart observations, I’ll say.
Feige is certainly teasing the idea ofThe Fantastic Fourtaking place in an alternate New York City. Not only will the family be in a different time, they may be in a different timeline. This suggestionopens the door to a tonof other fun possibilities.
Could other heroes appear inThe Fantastic Fouruniverse?
There are almost too many ideas to play with in a separate universe.The Fantastic Fourwill likely leave their home universe shortly after their debut feature. If theMarvel Cinematic Universe: Phase Sixtimeline is to be believed, the fifthAvengersmovie will quickly followThe Fantastic Four. OnlyBladestands between the two. However, the multiverse is quickly becoming a ubiquitous concept that poses less of a barrier with each entry. Certain heroes are tied tightly toThe Fantastic Four. Fans will want to see Reed Richards compare wits with the other Marvel geniuses. They’ll want to see the Thing arm-wrestle the Hulk. They’ll want to see Johnny Storm and Peter Parker be the best friends they’ve always wanted. Characters like Namor and Agatha Harkness have critical places inThe Fantastic Four. The versions of those fixtures that exist in the MCU don’t fit evenly into those positions. It’s possible thatThe Fantastic Four’s new universe will come with a standalone set of superheroes. New,1960s versions of classic characters. This is the kind of big, bold, unhinged effort that could keep Marvel engaging. With multiple universes to play in, solo superhero projects can also become tours of new realities. It’s a lot to ask, but the franchise can only grow for so long.
The Fantastic Fourmight take place in a standalone new dimension. It doesn’t feel fair to separate characters that are so closely tied to the Marvel roster. This suggests that they’ll eitherleave their home realityafter their debut, or introduce a world of new heroes to serve as their supporting cast. Imagine a series of newAvengersfilms set in a 1960s-tinged universe. It could be the next evolution of a franchise that seems determined to never stop innovating.
