Overview

• Watts said the strain of COVID-19 safety protocols and disrupted post-production left him “out of gas” and prompted his April 2022 departure.
• Marvel Studios and president Kevin Feige supported his decision to ensure the film received the attention it deserved.
• WandaVision director Matt Shakman assumed the project later in 2022 to helm Marvel’s Phase 6 kickoff.
• A final trailer released this month showcases a retro-futuristic 1960s aesthetic and previews the team’s showdown with Galactus.
• Featuring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Fantastic Four: First Steps opens July 25, 2025, establishing the First Family’s role in the MCU’s Multiverse Saga.