At long last, the full Fantastic Four is set to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Over the years, there have been some teases and drips of information about Marvel’s “First Family.” But with a release date finally on the ever expanding Marvel movie release calendar and a director in the talks, a third incarnation of the property seems to be finally actually happening. Here’s everything we know about the Fantastic Four movie, which we will continue to update as more information is revealed.
When is the Fantastic Four movie coming out?
Announced out of the 2022 San Diego Comic-Con, the Fantastic Four movie will kick off Phase 6 of the MCU on Nov. 8, 2024.
Who is directing?
In 2020, Marvel studio head Kevin Feige announced Spider-Man: Homecoming’s Jon Watts would helm the movie. But in April 2022, Watts stepped down, taking a break from superhero movies. As of Aug. 26, Wandavision and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia director Matt Shakman was in talks to direct the movie. Sorry to everyone who thought Steven Spielberg might actually take the job.
Who’s been cast?
No one has officially been cast, but persistent rumors about the frontrunners for the roles continue to circulate. You and Gossip Girl’s Penn Badgley, for instance, keeps coming up in rumors. Betting sites have tabulated odds on which actors seem most likely to be cast. Frontrunners for Reed Richards include John David Washington and Dan Stevens, while Zac Efron and Anthony Ramos lead the odds for Johnny Storm. For Sue Storm, Lily James and Samara Weaving seem like popular choices (though back when John Krasinski was still a legit frontrunner, Emily Blunt was also up there). Stephen Graham and Dean Norris are top picks for the Thing.
Image: Marvel Studios
What we do know is who is not going to be in the movie. We can rule out anyone from previous Fantastic Four movies, especially Chris Evans and Michael B. Jordan, both of whom played Johnny Storm (aka the Human Torch), and both of whom play different characters in the MCU. Additionally, while The Office’s John Krasinski portrayed an alternate-universe Reed Richards in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, he will likely not reprise the role in the main MCU.
More information may be revealed at the D23 Expo on Sept. 10.
What will the movie be about?
Feige has revealed this reboot would not be an origin story.
Wait, hasn’t there already been a Fantastic Four movie?
There have been multiple Fantastic Four movies — but no official entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe yet. There was an unreleased 1994 version, and a 2005 version starring Jessica Alba and Chris Evans (which also got a sequel in 2007). And in 2015, Fox tried to make a new Fantastic Four movie. It did not go so well.
Image: 20th Century Fox
So, why has it taken so long to make?
Well, for a long time, Disney didn’t legally own some of the A-list Marvel characters, including X-Men, Deadpool, and the Fantastic Four. The MCU couldn’t even use Spider-Man till 2016, since the character belongs to Sony.
In 2017, Disney agreed to acquire 21st Century Fox, and then-Disney CEO Bob Iger announced the X-Men, Deadpool, and the Fantastic Four would eventually be integrated into the MCU. The acquisition was finalized in March 2019 and during that year’s San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel studio head Kevin Feige officially announced the Fantastic Four film.