Okay, so Marvel’s Fantastic Four: First Steps has landed, and honestly, it’s a really strong start – many are calling it the best live-action version of the team we’ve seen yet! Pedro Pascal and the rest of the cast – Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach – totally nail their roles, and it feels like they’re perfectly integrated into the MCU. But here’s the thing: the movie went big with its villain right off the bat. That leaves me wondering where they go from here for the inevitable sequel. It’s a tough act to follow, and a big challenge for the future of this team in the Marvel universe.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps tells the story of Reed Richards (Mister Fantastic), Sue Storm (Invisible Woman), Johnny Storm (Human Torch), and Ben Grimm (The Thing) four years into their adventures as a team. They gained their amazing powers after being exposed to cosmic rays during a space mission, instantly becoming famous on Earth 828. While they famously fought Galactus four years after gaining their powers, the story acknowledges they’ve already battled numerous other Marvel villains, which presents a challenge for any future sequels to The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
First Steps Confirmed Many Minor Fantastic Four Villains Have Already Been Defeated
Before the events of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, the Fantastic Four were Earth 828’s only superhero team for four years and faced several villains. Their first opponent as a team was Harvey Elder, also known as the Mole Man (played by Paul Walter Hauser), who leads the underground community of Subterranea. The Fantastic Four first became known to the world while battling Giganto, a creature from below and one of the Mole Man’s Moloids – and this fight mirrored their very first appearance in Marvel Comics’ The Fantastic Four #1 back in 1961.
Originally, the movie The Fantastic Four: First Steps included scenes that didn’t make the final cut, featuring battles with Red Ghost (played by John Malkovich) and his Super-Apes, as well as the Mad Thinker attacking New York City. When Sue Storm became pregnant, Reed Richards went into overprotective mode, securing not just their headquarters, the Baxter Building, but the entire city. He quickly rounded up and captured many of the Fantastic Four’s classic foes from Marvel Comics, including the Puppet Master, the Wizard, and Diablo.
The Fantastic Four Will Have Faced 2 Of Their Biggest Adversaries By the Time Their Sequel Rolls Around
The recent film, Fantastic Four: First Steps, established that the team has already dealt with many of their classic villains on their Earth (designated Earth 828). This creates a challenge for future movies, as it will be difficult to find suitable antagonists since so many of the Fantastic Four’s enemies are already defeated. By the time a sequel arrives, this will include two of their biggest threats: the incredibly powerful Galactus (voiced by Ralph Ineson) and their long-time rival, Doctor Doom (played by Robert Downey Jr.).
In First Steps, the Fantastic Four saved Earth and the newly born Franklin Richards from Galactus and his messenger, the Silver Surfer (played by Julia Garner). Galactus wanted the immense Power Cosmic that Franklin possessed, but Doctor Doom also seems to have a connection to the child, having visited him at the Baxter Building in a post-credits scene from The Fantastic Four: First Steps. The Fantastic Four will team up with other Marvel heroes to fight Doctor Doom in upcoming movies like Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, leaving fans wondering who their next big threat will be in a future Fantastic Four film.
Who Could the MCU’s Fantastic Four Battle in Their Inevitable Sequel?
As a fan, I’m pretty sure Marvel Studios is already planning a second Fantastic Four movie. It’ll probably hit theaters after the big Multiverse Saga wraps up with Doomsday and Secret Wars. I don’t think we’ll see Galactus come back right away, especially since the first movie already dealt with him. And honestly, I doubt we’ll see villains like Mole Man or the Mad Thinker as the main bad guys this time around. Though, it would be amazing if John Malkovich could finally join the MCU somehow!
It’s still uncertain what the next story will be after The Fantastic Four: First Steps, but the team could continue facing Doctor Doom, even after the storylines of Doomsday and Secret Wars. Alternatively, Marvel Studios might revisit Kang the Conqueror and his different versions, or introduce a classic Fantastic Four villain like Rama-Tut, an Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh they’ve defeated in the comics. Another option is to properly introduce the Inhumans into the Marvel Cinematic Universe through a First Steps sequel, potentially with villains like Maximus the Mad. While there are many possibilities, it’s disappointing that some of the Fantastic Four’s less well-known enemies might never appear in the MCU.
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2025-11-09 20:42