By now, Marvel fans far and wide have tapped into The Fantastic Four: First Steps. The film, which premiered in theaters on July 25, has captivated audiences with a thrilling adventure, compelling special effects and what is generally considered to be the best adaptation of the spandex-clad quartet to ever hit the big screen. While casual fans were surely tuned in to the tale of the planet-eating Galactus and his exotic emissary The Silver Surfer, hardcore comic aficionados were busy scouring the background for any easter eggs, references or slight nods to other Marvel properties. Leaving hints and in-jokes for super-fans has become par for the course at the Disney-owned film studio, and First Steps is no exception. Since the movie is loaded with plenty of winks and nods, let’s take a moment to parse through a few of our favorites, examine what they mean, and see how these cheeky jokes could have massive implications for the Marvel Cinematic Universe moving forward.

Be advised that there will be some spoilers for The Fantastic Four: First Steps ahead. If you’re looking to go into the movie completely blind, be sure to bookmark this page and return after catching it in theaters. Otherwise, throw caution to the wind, and get ready to deep dive through references which range from the glaringly obvious to the Reed Richards-tier stretches.

Who is the baby in ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’?

Much of the plot of The Fantastic Four: First Steps revolves around Reed and Sue Richards’ newborn son, Franklin. In the film, Franklin is known to possess great power thanks to the combined genes of his super-powered parents, though these abilities do not manifest in any obvious quirks. Still, Franklin’s power signature is so strong that Galactus believes consuming the child will provide more energy than hundreds of planets, making him the object of desire for many malevolent forces across the known universe. Needless to say, Reed and Sue don’t let this happen, though Galactus does come a little too close for comfort during the action-packed climax of the film.

The post-credit scene also highlights Franklin’s impending power, as he is visited by a shadowy figure we can assume to be Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom. In the original Marvel comics, Franklin Richards grows up to wield universe-ending powers, which are sought after by the likes of Doctor Doom and many others. Given that the post-credit scene in First Steps offers our very first glimpse of Doom’s character, we can surmise that this plot point will be significant in the coming Avengers: Doomsday film. The Fantastic Four are said to be playing a significant role in the upcoming movie, so Franklin might be the main source of conflict yet again.

Will the Fantastic Four appear in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’?

Though Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Ben Grimm and Johnny Storm are all confirmed to appear in Avengers: Doomsday, we currently know very little about the film’s plot. This installment in the Avengers catalogue was originally meant to center around Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror. The entire MCU was forced to undergo significant restructuring back in late 2023, when Majors was convicted of misdemeanor assault and harassment following a domestic dispute with his then-girlfriend Grace Jabbari. Though Majors avoided jail time for this conviction, he was dropped by Disney. This effectively unraveled all of the groundwork established by films like Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania and Disney+ projects such as Loki.

In July of 2024, Marvel Studios announced a slew of new information regarding the future of the franchise during a panel at San Diego Comic-Con. For starters, the core villain of the freshly minted Avengers: Doomsday would be RDJ’s Doctor Doom. Furthermore, Avengers: Endgame filmmakers Joe and Anthony Russo would be returning to direct. Finally, it was made clear that the Fantastic Four would have a significant role to play in the film, which makes perfect sense considering Doom is generally known to be the quartet’s most iconic antagonist.

Do the Fantastic Four have secret identities?

Unlike many of the heroes of comic books past, the Fantastic Four are often loud and proud with their government names. Though they sometimes go by hero monikers including Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch and The Thing, the gang never make a concerted effort to hide their true identities from the press. Outside of their work as superheroes, the group usually works in public-facing roles improving the lives of citizens all around the globe.

Together they embark upon deep-space missions, develop cures for illness and disease and work to propel science and technology forward however possible. Reed Richards is particularly active in the development of new tech, and is frequently cited as one of the greatest minds in the expanded Marvel universe, depending on which comic run you’re reading.

The trailer for First Steps actually opens with a television announcer stating, “Famous around the world, please welcome the Fantastic Four.” As he delivers these lines, a live studio audience cheers and applauds, immediately letting fans know that these heroes are unlike your dark, brooding and quiet protagonists. Instead, they’re staples of their local neighborhood, often quipping and engaging with random citizens on the street.

The original Fantastic Four have cameo appearances

Though many of today’s audiences may not be old enough to recall, the very first Fantastic Four feature film was shot in 1994, with a cast that included Alex Hyde-White, Jay Underwood, Michael Bailey Smith and Rebecca Staab. This low-budget film was ultimately scrapped and never saw the light of day in theaters. Even still, copies have become available online, with the project being hailed as a cult classic among pirating websites.

Numerous screen grabs and scenes from this film have become internet memes over the last few decades, making the so-bad-it’s-good film instantly recognizable to a certain subset of Marvel fans. One of the most significant easter eggs in all of First Steps is the inclusion of each of these original Fantastic Four actors, even though they each appear in very small roles.

Alex Hyde-White, who previously took on the part of Reed Richards, appears as a newscaster for ABC. Likewise, Sue Storm actress Rebecca Staab shows up as a Channel 9 news presenter. Jay Underwood and Michael Bailey Smith, who once portrayed the Human Torch and The Thing, respectively, are credited in First Steps as Power Plant Worker #1 and Power Plant Worker #2.

Joseph Culp’s Doctor Doom seems to be the only prominent performer from the 1994 film that doesn’t appear, though maybe Disney is saving him for Avengers: Doomsday. Either way, this could speak to the ongoing trend of the MCU introducing multiverse variants in their latest batch of films. Could these former Fantastic Four actors be timeline deviants slipping through the universe as Galactus pushes on, or are their various appearances nothing more than window dressing for Marvel mega-fans?

Doom’s homeland gets a shoutout

Another interesting easter egg tucked within the narrative of The Fantastic Four: First Steps is the existence of Latveria. Latveria is a fictional eastern-European nation which has – until now, gone unrecognized in the MCU. In First Steps, there’s a scene where delegates from a number of foreign nations step forward to discuss international policy on Galactus’ impending invasion.

The representative from Latveria is absent, but their podium can clearly be seen, meaning this film’s universe (confirmed to be Earth-828) includes the mysterious land. Could Doom already be spying on Reed Richards and company, predicting their next moves and waiting to strike? Or is the RDJ Doctor Doom behind Avengers: Doomsday going to be an intergalactic interloper, sent from another dimension?

‘First Steps’ is loaded with nods to classic Fantastic Four villains

Over the narrative of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, many classic comic book villains are referenced, shown or described. Paul Walter Hauser’s Mole Man plays a small but important role in the film, facing off against the Four with the aid of the monster, Giganto. This fight even provides a nod to the cover of the very first Fantastic Four comic, which was published all the way back in 1961. Classic villains such as the Puppet Master, Diablo, Mad Thinker and the Wizard are mentioned throughout various points in the film, harkening back to the origins of the Fantastic Four comic books.

John Malkovich is also said to have portrayed the iconic villain Red Ghost for the film, though his scenes were ultimately cut from the movie. This marks the third time that Malkovich has missed an opportunity to appear in a Marvel production, having previously been considered for roles including the Green Goblin and the Vulture. Long before Disney arranged a collaborative deal with Sony to share Spider-Man and his cavalcade of villains, Malkovich was a favorite actor of Spider-Man director Sam Raimi. He was a top choice to portray Norman Osborn in 2002’s Spider-Man, and was confirmed to play the Vulture in Raimi’s cancelled Spider-Man 4. Perhaps Malkovich will finally be able to appear on screen in an MCU production someday, but for now, it’s quite a stretch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the fifth Fantastic Four?

In some iterations of the comic book quartet, Peter Parker’s Spider-Man is considered the unofficial fifth member of the Fantastic Four. This has been referenced in many mainstream outings, most notably within the gameplay of 2018’s Spider-Man video game for the PlayStation 4. Since a fourth MCU Spider-Man film is slated to arrive ahead of Avengers: Doomsday, there’s a pretty good chance that fans will finally have the chance to see this partnership play out on the big screen for the very first time.

Who is the most powerful member of the Fantastic Four?

Since each member of the Fantastic Four has unique skills and abilities, it’s hard to say exactly who is the most powerful. Though it’s a largely subjective question, many fans say that Sue Storm is the most powerful, thanks to the sheer strength of her force fields. In the comics, Sue’s force fields have been able to withstand a beating from cosmic entities that would wipe the floor with Earth’s mightiest heroes. Combine that with the adrenaline-induced strength of a new mother and you’ve got a serious powerhouse on your hands. While she is clearly a force to be reckoned with in the narrative of First Steps, we can expect to see more powerful shows of strength as Sue’s appearances in the MCU continue to stack up.