*** THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS *** (Spoiler Thread)

8,617 Views | 127 Replies | Last: 5 days ago by bobinator
TCTTS
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to Rex Racer • 5:14p, 7/28/25
AG
If I had to guess, at some point within the first half hour or so of Doomsday, we see…

- Doom kidnap Franklin (follow up to The Fantastic Four credit scene) and escape from Earth-828 to Earth-616.

- Reed, Sue, Johnny, and Ben somehow trace/follow Doom to Earth-616, and then ask the Avengers for help (follow up to the Thunderbolts* credit scene).

- However, they have no idea where Doom is on Earth-616, so, playing detective, the Fantastic Four take whatever Avengers back to Earth-828 to investigate the "scene of the crime," in order to search for clues (thus explaining how the Baxter Building's living room and kitchen sets are being reused for Doomsday to accommodate "a lot more people… Avengers," according to Feige).

Something along those lines. Of course, chances are I'm way off, but that's the only scenario I can come up with that connects the dots between everything we've currently seen and know.
Reply Quote
1
4 edits
Cinco Ranch Aggie
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to TCTTS • 5:49p, 7/28/25
AG
Lord help you if any of this turns out to be a spoiler.
Reply Quote
1
FL_Ag1998
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to TCTTS • 6:08p, 7/28/25
AG
TCTTS said:
If I had to guess, at some point within the first half hour or so of Doomsday, we see…

- Doom kidnap Franklin (follow up to The Fantastic Four credit scene) and escape from Earth-828 to Earth-616.

- Reed, Sue, Johnny, and Ben somehow trace/follow Doom to Earth-616, and then ask the Avengers for help (follow up to the Thunderbolts* credit scene).

- However, they have no idea where Doom is on Earth-616, so, playing detective, the Fantastic Four take whatever Avengers back to Earth-828 to investigate the "scene of the crime," in order to search for clues (thus explaining how the Baxter Building's living room and kitchen sets are being reused for Doomsday to accommodate "a lot more people… Avengers," according to Feige.

Something along those lines. Of course, chances are I'm way off, but that's the only scenario I can come up with that connects the dots between everything we've currently seen and know.



First Steps already established that Reed can track a being via the "energy signature they radiate which is unique to their environment" or whatever (i.e. how he tracked the Silver Surfer and Galactus). I'm assuming he could fine tune it to track across dimensions.

But if Marvel suddenly decides in Doomsday that method can only track them to Earth but can't track Doom/Franklin to a pretty specific spot on Earth, then that would be pretty lame IMO.

If the whole Avengers-in-the-Baxter-Building is true and not a red herring then I think its because the FF/Thunderbolts don't catch Doom on Earth-616 and he escapes back to Earth-828 and the whole gang has to chase him there.
Reply Quote
TCTTS
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to FL_Ag1998 • 6:32p, 7/28/25
AG
But didn't Reed only track Silver Surfer to a planet and not to an exact location on the planet? That said, I hear you, and I could totally see your suggestion playing out as well. Either way, I'd be a little concerned if that part of the plot is simply jumping back and forth between the two universes, but again, I'm sure there'd be a lot more to it.
Reply Quote
1 edit
FL_Ag1998
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to TCTTS • 7:23p, 7/28/25
AG
I'm not sure. Maybe someone else will remember more details about the FF tracking Silver Surfer. Or maybe the movie was just vague enough about it that Doomsday can play it however the Russos need it.

As far as Doomsday filming on that Baxter Building set, are we sure that automatically means those scenes happen on the FF's Earth-828? Could it be a version of the building here on Avengers Earth-616? Maybe there's a Earth-616 version of the FF that we haven't met yet in the MCU because they're just a bunch of rich, dysfunctional, non-superhero a-holes, lol.
Reply Quote
TCTTS
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to FL_Ag1998 • 8:29p, 7/28/25
AG
IMO, that would be really weird if there was a frozen-in-time, 1960s-looking Baxter Building interior where a potential modern-day 616 version of the Fantastic Four lived. The quotes from Feige really make it sound like it's exact the same sets in the same, 828 universe. Which I think also offers the most fun... seeing the Avengers in a 1960s retro-futuristic universe, and then seeing the 1960s retro-futuristic Fantastic Four in our modern universe. That could be really fun.
Reply Quote
4
Andyzipp
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to TCTTS • 8:50p, 7/28/25
AG
The teleportation device (the "Bridge") will play heavily into Doomsday and Secret Wars if they're following the comics at all.

Reed has now had four years to make it do whatever they need it to do, story wise. But it should allow the FF to go anywhere instantly and track whomever they need to.
Reply Quote
3
FL_Ag1998
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to TCTTS • 4:40a, 7/29/25
AG
True, I didn't think about that.
Reply Quote
Brian Earl Spilner
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to TCTTS • 9:14a, 7/29/25
AG
TCTTS said:
But didn't Reed only track Silver Surfer to a planet and not to an exact location on the planet? That said, I hear you, and I could totally see your suggestion playing out as well. Either way, I'd be a little concerned if that part of the plot is simply jumping back and forth between the two universes, but again, I'm sure there'd be a lot more to it.


I mean Tony Stark figured out time travel in like 15 minutes.
Reply Quote
7
rhutton125
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
10:59a, 7/29/25
AG
Yeah I'm not too worried about the tech. It's more like… if Doom of 828 kidnaps Franklin of 828, why run to 616? Or why would the FF of 828 go to 616 for help, unless this universe is arbitrarily the only one with superheroes (which it's not)?

The writers will have to come up with organic reasons to merge these storylines. Not to mention, the Fox universe and Loki as the guardian of timelines.

Hmmm…
Reply Quote
FL_Ag1998
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to rhutton125 • 1:01p, 7/29/25
AG
Right. Doom's not just going to randomly pick a universe, so why will he pick Earth-616?

Is it because 616's superheroes have been whittled down to the dysfunctional Thunderbolts and the non-Avenger heroes left after Endgame, i.e. easy pickin's for Doom to take over?
Reply Quote
jokershady
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to Brian Earl Spilner • 9:26a, 7/30/25
AG
Brian Earl Spilner said:
TCTTS said:
But didn't Reed only track Silver Surfer to a planet and not to an exact location on the planet? That said, I hear you, and I could totally see your suggestion playing out as well. Either way, I'd be a little concerned if that part of the plot is simply jumping back and forth between the two universes, but again, I'm sure there'd be a lot more to it.


I mean Tony Stark figured out time travel in like 15 minutes.

IN A CAVE!!!!!!!
Reply Quote
5
bobinator
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
7:08p, 7/31/25
AG
I haven't read this thread yet but just finished this movie and I was absolutely certain the post credits reveal was going to be that Reed wasn't actually teleporting eggs but sending them to/from other universes (so it's not actually the same egg) and that at the end they actually zapped Galactus into the main marvel universe.
Reply Quote
5
bobinator
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to TCTTS • 9:33p, 7/31/25
AG
TCTTS said:
Also, yeah, the way that damn baby was rendered and green-screened was some of the worst, most distracting CGI I've ever seen. It was so bad, and there was so much of it. Like, shockingly so.


The most "what are we doing here?" CGI to me was Grimm's clothes at times. You can't have single character shots look so ridiculous.
Reply Quote
2
Bruce Almighty
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
4:57p, 8/1/25
AG
Just watched and not really a fan. It wasn't bad, but definitely bottom tier MCU IMO. Galactus looked like a Power Rangers monster.
Reply Quote
1
fig96
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to FL_Ag1998 • 4:57p, 8/1/25
AG
Just got back and they had tracked him to that planet then everything started happening and we never got/needed any more detail on whether they knew exactly where he was. Though I'd have to think that if they'd tracked him across the universe finding him on the planet they were already on wouldn't have been too challenging.

So that to say, I enjoyed it. I can understand a few of the complaints, but genuinely loved the art direction and the unique world they created and thought the entire cast was really great. Felt like a solid first film introduction for them with just enough backstory to fill the audience in.

Also got the pint glass.

Reply Quote
4
FL_Ag1998
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to fig96 • 5:07p, 8/1/25
AG
Yeah I definitely enjoyed the movie as well. I fully understand the complaints and can't say I disagree with them. But I wasn't as bothered by them and ended up walking away with a good feeling about the movie, and liking not only the characters but the actors chosen for the roles.

And nice glass, too!
Reply Quote
5
bobinator
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to Bruce Almighty • 8:17p, 8/1/25
AG
I think the lack of any depth at all to the villain was a big part of what was lacking. I know the whole movie had kind of a "don't worry about the details of that, move on" bit but it would have been better if Galactus were just a machine. (Might have been? Kind of unclear!) Hinting at some character depth but not really giving him any was worse.

I did still mostly like it, but it's like they shot two movies and had to combine it to one at the last minute.
Reply Quote
mslags97
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
10:54p, 8/1/25
AG
I loved it. My favorite Marvel since Endgame. And honestly I don't think anything besides Spidey no way home has been close.

I actually had a second viewing today because of the complaints on here, but I don't think this was lacking…. I think it was a great introduction to a good addition to the Marvel family….

Maybe the villain was not fully developed…. But honestly, I think they did a good job with what and who Galactus is. I enjoyed the Surfer… and I didn't mind the use of a female for that character….

In fairness, F4 was my favorite comic book growing up, so I have a bias, but I still thought this was great. And I can't wait for more of them…. My biggest disappointment is the 1 1/2 year wait to see them again.
Reply Quote
2
rhutton125
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to mslags97 • 8:29a, 8/2/25
AG
At least, for the first time since maybe WandaVision, we know when we will see them again. That was always my favorite thing - if you liked Ant-Man, here's how he'll tie into Civil War. Etc.

I'm with you though, I've wanted these characters to be done justice for so long that I didn't care too much if Galactus is underdeveloped. After multiple failed versions, these characters just needed to show why they've been comics staples for 60 years, and I think the movie accomplished that.

Now if they can finally do Doom right, my inner nerd will be fully satisfied.
Reply Quote
1
TCTTS
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
3:34p, 8/2/25
AG
Panic in the streets...







Reply Quote
2 edits
rhutton125
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
3:51p, 8/2/25
AG
Awful. 3 whiffs in a year is Sony / DCEU territory. It's a shame because I thought Thunderbolts and FF were good-to-great.

There's no goodwill right now, and even when you do have a win (Deadpool, Guardians 3, etc) it doesn't really count because that's Fox or James Gunn. If anyone gets excited for Spider-Man it's because it's Spider-Man - that won't really help with anyone's Doomsday hype.
Reply Quote
3
Madmarttigan
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
5:46p, 8/2/25
AG
Honestly every time I go out of my way to watch a superhero movie they are the most bland formulaic experience for 5 years. I keep coming back over and over trying to give another chance. I might have gone to the theater for this but I watched Superman and it soured me on superhero movies again for another few months. Generic and boring despite being super flashy.

Superhero movies right now are the equivalent of an 8-5 Aggie football team

It is also crazy idiotic to release these together back to back. Superhero movies are wildly over saturated content right now to be releasing the two biggest ones of the year one week apart.
Reply Quote
1
2 edits
TCTTS
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to Madmarttigan • 6:08p, 8/2/25
AG
It never made sense to me why Disney didn't save FF for November. Just completely baffling, especially considering they only had a year to shoot it and do VFX, which is insane for a movie of this scale.

Weirdly, though, that may be a blessing for the superhero genre in the long run, re: superhero fatigue, seeing as the next superhero movie now isn't until June 26, 2026 with Supergirl. In the modern age, have we ever gone 11 months without a superhero movie?
Reply Quote
Cinco Ranch Aggie
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to TCTTS • 6:22p, 8/2/25
AG
The Avengers to Iron Man 3 was a year.
Reply Quote
TCTTS
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to Cinco Ranch Aggie • 6:41p, 8/2/25
AG
So twelve years since the last time that happened. Crazy.
Reply Quote
Bruce Almighty
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to Cinco Ranch Aggie • 6:54p, 8/2/25
AG
Cinco Ranch Aggie said:
The Avengers to Iron Man 3 was a year.


10 months. TDKR came out 2 months after Avengers.
Reply Quote
1
rhutton125
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to TCTTS • 6:56p, 8/2/25
AG
Too bad TV shows will muddy the waters. I like Wonder Man as a character but boy this is the wrong time to be giving him a show.

Secret Invasion, Echo, Ironheart (haven't seen it yet) and Ms Marvel have got to be among the lowest ROIs for the superhero genre all-time. Shows that truly felt skippable or had viewers walking away saying "yeah you don't need to see it." Damaged the brand so much, maybe irreparably.
Reply Quote
3
fig96
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to rhutton125 • 8:44p, 8/2/25
AG
Ms Marvel gets unfairly lumped in there IMO, genuinely entertaining show with a ton of heart.

That was followed by She-Hulk, a show that while not bad was a big departure tonally that didn't quite seem to know what it was, and then Secret Invasion and others. But in the middle of that was Loki s2 that was really good.
Reply Quote
1
redline248
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
8:58p, 8/2/25
AG
First, a thought about those box office tweets. Is that a phenomenon specific to FF, or is the same thing happening to all movies lately? You have the folks who are going opening weekend to most things, no matter what, and everyone else is in "maybe I'll get around to it" mode?

Now on to the movie. I enjoyed it, a lot. I can see why some might think it is boring. For the most part, it lacks action. The Galactus meet up + escape and the climax are it. Everything else is a movie about this small, close nit family. I think that's why Galactus doesn't even really need to be all that interesting a villain. It's not about him.

Now, that sort of heightens the point about the length and pieces missing to the characters. Ben has only a little moment struggling with his permanent rock state. He has no opportunity to really explore a relationship the woman he met on the street. Same for Johnny. There is an obvious feeling of being ignored and overlooked, but it doesn't get a pivotal moment. I guess the decision was to focus on Reed and Sue and the little conflict about how he considers the terrible choice and she knows it. Even that isn't fully fleshed out.

I'll be honest, those thoughts were lying under the surface for me during the movie. I think that's because, again, it's a very emotional, family centric story. As a parent of young children, the stuff centered around the idea of anyone being ok with handing a baby over to a cosmic monster was a little tough and had me completely invested. But I'm a huge sap.

Finally, I will say it was a little amusing that they just hopped on the ship and flew off...did Galactus forget about his tractor beam? (Or was that the point of Johnny blasting all those big cables? Maybe I missed some dialogue about it)

I thought it was an awesome movie
Reply Quote
3
rhutton125
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to fig96 • 9:21p, 8/2/25
AG
From a quality perspective, I'd agree, but from a "Marvel is must-see" perspective, I think that was part of the shift. Maybe the beginning.

Anecdotal evidence: I see all the movies with my cousin, and there was a time where we'd watch all the shows together too. He did not have any interest in watching Ms. Marvel. After that, he skipped out on She-Hulk, Werewolf by Night (despite my recommendations), Secret Invasion (thanks to my recommendation), Echo, Daredevil and Ironheart. We still see the movies, but there basically hasn't been a must-watch show in years. (I'd say Daredevil is, but you have 3 seasons of homework first)

You could lump Moon Knight into that group, but at least that had some star power and hype behind it. Ms Marvel was probably the first time a huge chunk of the fanbase said "yeah that's not for me at all" and opted out entirely. And now that's pretty commonplace.
Reply Quote
Sex Panther
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
9:29p, 8/2/25
AG
Just chiming in that I thought it was great too. Loved the retro-futuristic setting. Some of the complaints seem valid, but I sure enjoyed it. Especially following Superman which I personally hated with a passion.
Reply Quote
4
Cliff.Booth
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
9:45p, 8/2/25
I am sorry to report to you that this movie was: ass.
Reply Quote
Ghost of Bisbee
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
9:47p, 8/2/25
AG
Wanted to like it

Hated it

How is this movie performing?

No super hero movie will ever top Iron Man '08
Reply Quote
1
Cliff.Booth
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to Ghost of Bisbee • 9:50p, 8/2/25
Ghost of Bisbee said:


How is this movie performing?



In case you havent visited X, TC shared half of it about a third of a page up.
Reply Quote
 
×
subscribe Verify your student status
See Subscription Benefits
Trial only available to users who have never subscribed or participated in a previous trial.