The Fantastic Four: First Steps is one of the most hotly anticipated movies from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), and it could get a lot wilder if the director's comments mean anything. As is always the case with any Marvel project, speculation is running high. Ever since the movie was announced, people have shared theories online about what they expect could happen. And this only increased as the trailers came out.
However, for the most part, speculation is just that, theories and ideas that likely won't hold any weight in the final production. So as fun as it can be to engage with theories, sometimes it feels like getting excited about wild ideas only to have nothing materialize. And while there has been one popular theory that is genuinely exciting making the rounds, it seemed too wild to be true.
The Theory That The Council Of Reeds Would Appear In The MCU Seemed A Little Too Wild For The Franchise's Current State
The Council Of Reeds Feels Too Complicated To Drop Into The First Steps Movie
There has been speculation that The Fantastic Four: First Steps may include the Council of Reeds, but in real , this doesn't feel like it makes much sense. For instance, casting Reed Richards once was already a challenge, but the MCU has done it twice already with a variant version showing up in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. So, if they wanted to create a council, presumably Pedro Pascal, John Krasinski, and a handful of others like Ioan Gruffudd could have been cast.
I'm Convinced The Fantastic Four Could Fix 1 MCU Trend 7 Years After It Began
The MCU's technology stagnated after taking a huge leap in Phase 3, and it may be the Fantastic Four's job to bring it to the next level.
Of course, there's potential for them to play it out in a similar way to how they introduced the Council of Kangs in the post-credits scene of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, but then that feels repetitive. Instead of going through the hassle and trying to find a way to make it work, it just makes sense to leave these obscure parts of the comics out, and focus on telling a story without complicating the story and confusing audiences.
Matt Shakman's Latest Comments About The Fantastic Four: First Steps & Its Inspiration Makes It Seem Far More Likely The Council Of Reeds Could Appear
The Director Clearly Enjoys The Council Of Reeds
And yet, when Matt Shakman was recently interviewed by Variety about his inspirations for making the movie and the story, he made some interesting comments. Up to this point, I was under the impression that the film would be heavily centered on family, and Shakman's comments do appear to confirm that. However, the specific references he makes also suggest there could be other details that will play important parts in the movie.
As we developed the script for the film, I returned again and again to this epic run — thrilled by brain-bending innovations like the Council of Reeds and riveted by heroic standoffs against the likes of Annihilus. But it was Hickman’s deep insight into the specific family dynamics of the Four that affected me the most.
Specifically, Shakman referencing the Council of Reeds while talking about the inspiration for this movie immediately indicates an interesting possibility for the story. Shakman fell in love with Jonathan Hickman's run of Fantastic Four comics, and he speaks about it ionately. But it's possible that the reason he makes note of the Council of Reeds is because that may be an element of the story that Shakman got more familiar with while working on the film.
Why The Council Of Reeds Appearing In The Multiverse Saga Would Make A Lot Of Sense For The MCU
The Council Of Reeds Would Fit Better In The Multiverse Saga Than Anywhere Else
The Council of Reeds may not be a necessity for telling a Fantastic Four story, and it hasn't been something that was adapted in any previous version of the story for the big screen. However, in the Multiverse Saga, introducing these elements that draw attention to the Multiverse and the way these stories crossover would make a lot of sense. Obviously, we have already seen a version of Reed Richards in another important superhero team, the Illuminati, but the Council of Reeds would provide something unique and interesting for the FF story.
I still think Doctor Doom will show up in Fantastic Four...
Although director Matt Shakman has said that Doctor Doom is not going to be in Fantastic Four: First Steps...I'm not convinced. If anything, I think Doom will end up being in one of the movie's post-credits scenes, or there will at least be some sort of connection/reference pointing to his imminent debut. After all, there should be SOME set up ahead of his Avengers 5 debut.
Reed Richards is often portrayed as the smartest man alive. And when Reed makes connections with other versions of himself from across the multiverse, their shared knowledge leads to unpredictable discoveries and innovation. And since Reed Richards stands to lose his home, Earth, to the Devourer of Worlds, Galactus, it may be time for Reed to reach out and get help. With the shared experience of a Council of Reeds from across the Multiverse, Reed could find vital answers about how to protect his home, and how to fight back against imposing new threats like Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom. Either way, the MCU is setting the stage for big mutliversal madness in The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps
- Release Date
- July 25, 2025
- Runtime
- 130 Minutes
- Director
- Matt Shakman
- Writers
- Jeff Kaplan, Josh Friedman, Ian Springer, Eric Pearson, Stan Lee
- Producers
- Jamie Christopher, Kevin Feige, Louis D'Esposito, Tim Lewis
Cast
Reed Richards / Mr. Fantastic
Vanessa KirbySue Storm / The Invisible Woman
Johnny Storm / Human Torch
Ebon Moss-BachrachBen Grimm / The Thing
- Franchise(s)
- Marvel Cinematic Universe
