In the blink of an eye, the Marvel Cinematic Universe concluded yet another chapter of its Multiverse Saga. It may be hard to believe, but the release of Thunderbolts* marked the end of the studio's Phase 5, which started with the release of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania back in 2023. There's this curious phenomenon in which it gets increasingly harder to determine when a Phase ends and a new one begins now that the big superhero crossovers aren't around to act as stepping stones. However, that will soon change, as the road to Doomsday starts here. The Fantastic Four: First Steps is just around the corner, and it will be... well, the first step towards something greater.
Fans are hopeful that director Matt Shakman has finally cracked the code behind how to make a successful adaptation of Marvel's First Family, who are set to join the MCU 17 years after its inception. But even if we're all eager to learn what will happen in the movie, the trailers have been very secretive so far. We've yet to see our first full look at Galactus in all of its glory, who's merely been teased in a few shots. Furthermore, Mole Man is expected to make an appearance, but he's been nowhere to be seen in the promotional material at the moment. To make things worse, Reed's powers have barely been shown, leaving us to wonder what he will really look like.
Many assumed we'd learn the secrets of The Fantastic Four: First Steps until the very day of its release. However, in an unexpected turn of events, it appears that Marvel itself has released a sequence from the end of the movie, spoiling how it will all unfold. Did we just get Tom Holland-ed?
Marvel showcased new footage of The Fantastic Four: First Steps at CCXPMX 25
Marvel's First Family made a stop at Comic Con Experience Mexico 2025 to deliver a jaw-dropping presentation. New Footage of The Fantastic Four: First Steps was shown to everyone in attendance, and we have a full breakdown of it thanks to users Cartoons On The Moon and Fantastic Four Updates via X (formerly Twitter). Things kick off with the Fantastic Four driving a spaceship, as a destroyed planet is seen in the background. Sue is going into labor, and Silver Surfer is frenetically chasing after the baby. Ben drives the ship, as Johnny tries to shoot Galactus' herald using the cannons (while joking that he thinks she is sexy).
Reed Richards eventually asks Ben to drive the ship into a black hole. But while the rest of the team gets worried about this decision, Mr. Fantastic tells them to have faith, as this could be their escape to "another place". With that, the sequence came to an end, and fans were left wondering if they just witnessed a sequence from the end of the movie.
Let's briefly discuss some facts about The Fantastic Four: First Steps. For starters, the movie will feature a sequence where Sue first tells the rest of the team that she's pregnant, which means the birth of Franklin Richards will likely take place in the third act, at the very least. Furthermore, we know the main antagonist is set to be Galactus, the Devourer of Worlds, and the clip shown at CCXPMX 25 showcased Marvel's First Family on a ship escaping a destroyed planet. With that in mind, it wouldn't be too far-fetched to assume the beloved superhero team failed to stop the cosmic entity from destroying their world (something which would seem ideal for the climax of the movie).
Last, but not least, we also need to remember the post-credits scene of Thunderbolts*. In it, the new Avengers witness a mysterious inter-dimensional ship suddenly appear in their universe. This could perfectly tie into Reed driving their family into a black hole to escape to "another place". All signs seem to indicate that The Fantastic Four: First Steps will end with Galactus accomplishing his goal to consume Earth, leaving Mr. Fantastic no choice but to look for another home where his son can grow (which would turn out to be the Sacred Timeline).
Of course, there's also the possibility that Marvel will pull off a big plot twist and reveal that only the first half of its upcoming movie will take place in the retro-futuristic world showcased so far, while the other half takes place in the MCU. Maybe they didn't spoil the ending of the film, but merely its inflection point in the middle.
From what we've seen so far of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, all inhabitants of the retro-futuristic Earth love The Thing, so it would be all the more heartbreaking to see him spend a lot of time in a new home where everyone considers him to be a "monster". Furthermore, it would be interesting to see Marvel's First Family react to the revelation that there are multiple superheroes in this new dimension, as opposed to where they came from. Besides, the movie could directly tie into the events of Avengers: Doomsday, which wouldn't be possible if it took place in an alternate reality for most of its runtime.
Maybe Shalla-Bal's Silver Surfer and Galactus will chase the Fantastic Four across dimensions, all in hopes of getting their hands on Franklin Richards. This could cause the incursion that marks the collapse of the multiverse and sets the stage for Avengers: Doomsday. Besides, it would be a cool way to see the Devourer of Worlds make its presence felt in the Sacred Timeline.
Only time will tell if the sequence showcased at CCXPMX 25 was truly the end of The Fantastic Four: First Steps or not, but one thing's for certain: Its description sounds so awesome that we can't wait to see it for ourselves.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps will be released on July 25, 2025.