The Marvel Cinematic Universe spawns infinite rumors with its most minor movements. Every new project has countless potential points of connection to the previous ones. Some of these theories will turn out to be true, while the majority will disappear into nothingness. The hype surrounding Fantastic Four has led many fans to imagine that the film will introduce a new universe in Marvel’s cosmology. While that isn’t guaranteed yet, it’s interesting to speculate how other heroes might appear in this theoretical new dimension.
Marvel has leaned into the multiverse concept for obvious reasons. The idea of an infinite expanse of alternate realities is just as appealing for film producers as it was for comic book publishers. There are a lot of interesting things the franchise could do with the concept. It mainly uses it as a fun way to consistently increase the scale until it leaves any reasonable expectation of relatable human drama. Nonetheless, some fans believe that Fantastic Four will be the first of several superheroes to start outside the prime Marvel universe.
Could The Fantastic Four take place in an alternate universe?
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Director |
Matt Shakman |
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Writer |
Josh Friedman |
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Stars |
Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Ralph Ineson |
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Release Date |
July 25, 2025 |
News has been relatively scarce about The Fantastic Four. Marvel entered a strange slump in 2023, struggling to drum up much attention for most of their projects. This led the studio to slow its output and rely more heavily on fewer films and shows. Of all the things on the Marvel slate, fans only really showed an impressive amount of excitement about two. Deadpool & Wolverine isn’t out at the time of this writing, but it’s already set to break box-office records. Whether it works or not, the film will be a tremendous shot in Marvel’s arm. The only other project fans seem eager to see is The Fantastic Four. This has led to a comical mountain of speculation based around a couple of pictures and a few rumors.
The Fantastic Four dropped a couple of notable photos to promote the film, despite it still being a year away. The first piece of concept art suggested a period setting. The Fantastic Four is inextricably tied to its 1960s origin in a way that really doesn’t affect most other heroes. This led the filmmakers to set the project in the 1960s. Kevin Feige confirmed that The Fantastic Four would be a period piece, setting the film’s action in the 1960s. This takes care of the obvious questions involving The Fantastic Four’s whereabouts during the previous Avengers films and any concerns about the concept’s old-fashioned style. Shortly after the Official Marvel Podcast moment in which Feige confirmed the film’s period setting, he discussed another piece of art. Feige said:
There was a cityscape in the corner of that image and there were a lot of smart people who noticed that that cityscape didn’t look exactly like the New York that we know or the New York that existed in the ‘60s in our world. And those are smart observations, I’ll say.
Feige is certainly teasing the idea of The Fantastic Four taking place in an alternate New York City. Not only will the family be in a different time, they may be in a different timeline. This suggestion opens the door to a ton of other fun possibilities.
Could other heroes appear in The Fantastic Four universe?
There are almost too many ideas to play with in a separate universe. The Fantastic Four will likely leave their home universe shortly after their debut feature. If the Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase Six timeline is to be believed, the fifth Avengers movie will quickly follow The Fantastic Four. Only Blade stands between the two. However, the multiverse is quickly becoming a ubiquitous concept that poses less of a barrier with each entry. Certain heroes are tied tightly to The Fantastic Four. Fans will want to see Reed Richards compare wits with the other Marvel geniuses. They’ll want to see the Thing arm-wrestle the Hulk. They’ll want to see Johnny Storm and Peter Parker be the best friends they’ve always wanted. Characters like Namor and Agatha Harkness have critical places in The Fantastic Four. The versions of those fixtures that exist in the MCU don’t fit evenly into those positions. It’s possible that The Fantastic Four‘s new universe will come with a standalone set of superheroes. New, 1960s versions of classic characters. This is the kind of big, bold, unhinged effort that could keep Marvel engaging. With multiple universes to play in, solo superhero projects can also become tours of new realities. It’s a lot to ask, but the franchise can only grow for so long.
The Fantastic Four might take place in a standalone new dimension. It doesn’t feel fair to separate characters that are so closely tied to the Marvel roster. This suggests that they’ll either leave their home reality after their debut, or introduce a world of new heroes to serve as their supporting cast. Imagine a series of new Avengers films set in a 1960s-tinged universe. It could be the next evolution of a franchise that seems determined to never stop innovating.
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