Fantastic Four: First Steps is the first film in Marvel’s Phase 6, and as such, seems like it would be an important building block as the MCU hurtles towards its next big crossover event in next year’s Avengers: Doomsday. But refreshingly, Fantastic Four manages to stand on its own, offering a terrific (some might even say fantastic) one-off adventure with Marvel’s First Family.
But that doesn’t make Fantastic Four any less important to the MCU: Eventually, we know they will make their way to Earth-616 and team up to fight Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday. But since Doctor Doom is known for his rivalry with the Fantastic Four, and particularly Reed Richards, might they take a more prominent spot at the head of the Avengers? A few weeks ago, a quote from Fantastic Four director Matt Shakman seemed to suggest so: “He goes from being the nerdy scientist who’s locked away in the lab, to the husband and the father who’d do anything to protect his family, to the guy who’s leading the Avengers,” Shakman told Variety.
