The Fantastic Four 2 Rumors After Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars

A new Marvel Cinematic Universe rumor may have just confirmed where The Fantastic Four are headed after Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.

Per ComicBookMovie, industry news and scoop page MyTimeToShineH on X has pointed towards a bright future for The Fantastic Four. Reportedly, Marvel Studios is eyeing another Fantastic Four film down the line and banking on Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars building up the hype for it.

"Despite not being a huge box office hit, Marvel [is still planning] a Fantastic Four 2 post–Secret Wars and wants Matt Shakman back to direct," MyTimeToShineH writes. "They believe the team's role in the Avengers films will draw more people to see the sequel."

Directed by Matt Shakman from a screenplay by Josh Friedman, Eric Pearson, Jeff Kaplan, and Ian Springer, The Fantastic Four: First Steps introduced audiences to a whole new corner of the MCU's ever-expanding Multiverse. Set within the confines of the retrofuturistic reality of Earth-828, The Fantastic Four: First Steps charts both the rise of Marvel's First Family in the MCU and their battle against the Devourer of Worlds — Galactus.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps stars Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards, a.ka. Mister Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, a.k.a the Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm, a.k.a the Human Torch, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm, a.k.a the Thing. The film's ensemble cast is rounded out by Julia Garner as Shalla-Bal, a.k.a the Silver Surfer, Paul Walter Hauser as Harvey Elder, a.k.a the Mole Man, Natasha Lyonne as Rachel Rozman, and Ralph Ineson as Galactus himself.

Upon its release in theaters, The Fantastic Four: First Steps was widely lauded by both critics and audiences. As of the time of writing, The Fantastic Four: First Steps holds an 86% "Certified Fresh" rating via review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, as averaged across more than 400 verified critical reviews of the film.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps was also nominated for several major industry awards, including the Best Action or Science Fiction Feature at the 9th Annual Astra Film Awards. Unfortunately, The Fantastic Four: First Steps proved to be only a minor success at the box office, bringing in just under $522 million against a production budget of around $181 million, only barely clearing the 200–250% range. Most big-budget features require recouping their total expenditures across production, distribution, and marketing.

When Will Fans See The Fantastic Four in the MCU Next?

Currently, fans can expect the core cast of The Fantastic Four: First Steps to return to the MCU later this year with the release of Avengers: Doomsday. Currently slated to arrive in theaters on December 18, Avengers: Doomsday will showcase the proper MCU debut of Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom, who was glimpsed in a brief cameo at the end of The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

Alongside the likes of Vanessa Kirby and Pedro Pascal, Avengers: Doomsday will see numerous other fan-favorite stars from beyond the bounds of the MCU proper join the film's expansive ensemble cast. Among these returning stars are X-Men veterans such as James Marsden, Rebecca Romijn, Alan Cumming, and Patrick Stewart. Channing Tatum will also be returning as Gambit for Avengers: Doomsday, marking his first return to the role since making his debut as the character in 2024's Deadpool & Wolverine.

Avengers: Doomsday is currently slated to arrive in theaters on Dec. 18, 2026.