Overview

• The Fantastic Four: First Steps debuted to strong reviews and box office returns, establishing a retro-1960s Earth-828 setting
• A mid-credits scene features Robert Downey Jr.’s MCU debut as Doctor Doom kneeling before Franklin Richards, hinting at his role as the next big antagonist
• Newborn Franklin Richards demonstrates unprecedented cosmic potential, marking him as a central figure in Marvel’s Phase Six Multiverse Saga Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige officially announced that the mainline Avengers will join the Fantastic Four at the Baxter Building in Avengers: Doomsday, set for December 18, 2026
• First Steps uses practical effects and cross-film teasers to bridge into the wider Multiverse Saga, leading toward Avengers: Secret Wars in December 2027