The Fantastic Four are about to crossover with a classic sci-fi property

Marvel is having the Fantastic Four go “ape” in a crossover fans could never have imagined!

Marvel is on a crossover kick these days, and not just the usual annual events. They’ve reached a new partnership with DC that’s already given us Batman/Deadpool, Fantastic Four/The Flash and Thor/Shazam. There’s also Marvel's work with Disney characters and others, helped by how Disney also owns Marvel.

Disney also owns 20th Century Fox, giving them access to their film library, which has already provided crossovers with the Alien and Predator franchises. Which is why we’re getting a crazy crossover with Marvel announcing Planet of the Apes vs Fantastic Four, a four-issue limited series written by Josh Trujillo and drawn by Andrea di Vito. 

This is a great link between the properties, as Marvel has a history with Planet of the Apes ever since doing adaptations of the iconic original film series and recent miniseries such as Beware the Planet of the Apes. It works by delving more into the history of this franchise. 

For the handful who don’t know, Planet of the Apes was a 1968 sci-fi film where an astronaut (Charlton Heston) finds himself thrust across space and time to crash on a world where apes are intelligent talking beings, while men are mindless savages. Even those who have never seen the film no doubt know of the twist ending, revealing that this is a far-future Earth.

The movie spawned four sequels, a TV series, a rather poor 2001 Tim Burton remake and the far more successful 2011 prequel saga to remain a mainstay of science fiction. Pitting the apes against The Fantastic Four is a wild swing, but it may work!

We don’t know much yet of the plot as the cover hints at a strange alliance between the sinister simian scientist Dr. Zaius and (of course) Doctor Doom. The preview images show the FF in Ape City, and it's intriguing how Ben Grimm is in human form, indicating somehow being in this world changes him from the Thing. 

"Marvel’s First Family find themselves stranded on the Planet of the Apes! Witness history as the Fantastic Four cross paths for the very first time with Cornelius, Zira, Ursus – and of course Dr. Zaius! But they won’t be going alone! Familiar foes from the Marvel Universe have set their sights on Ape City, setting the stage for a battle royale that fans won’t soon forget!"

It is interesting to imagine how the apes deal with humans with superpowers. It’d also be a major-missed opportunity if somehow the Red Ghost and his Super-Apes didn’t somehow get involved in this. Naturally, Doom will have his own agenda while Zaius makes his plans. 

Di Vito shared a statement via Marvel on how, as crazy as it sounds, it makes strange sense that the FF somehow land on this fantastic world. 

"It sounds like a weird meeting at first, but then you realize that both these franchises were meant to meet sooner or later. Exploration has always been the Fantastic Four's main drive. Ending up on the Planet of the Apes is absolutely perfect for a classic FF adventure, set in the immortal tone created by Stan & Jack. I am honored to be the one to illustrate this ‘first official meeting’ between the Marvel Universe and Planet of the Apes."

"I grew up watching Planet of the Apes marathons on Saturday afternoons, so it's a huge thrill to write for these iconic characters!" Trujillo shared. "Having Marvel's First Family butt heads with Cornelius, Zira, and Dr. Zaius is just too much fun, and I can't believe I'm the one who gets to tell this epic tale. It's a mash-up decades in the making, and I hope you come along for the ride!"

The series arrives in stores on February 4, 2026. We’ll likely learn more as it comes, but this may kick off a new wave of crossovers of Marvel and classic films. If nothing else, it’ll be amazing to see the Thing declare “It’s Clobbering Time” on Ape City!