The Fantastic Four: First Steps is the latest entry in the 2025 movie schedule to dominate the box office, and for many, including me, it’s a great soft reset of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. One of the things I most liked about it was that it wasn’t heavy on the MCU-cameos like so many others have been.

This iteration of the Fantastic Four has a standalone adventure without all the burden of the MCU's history and cast of characters.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is set during the 1960s, unlike its predecessors, which were set during modern times and don't tell their origin stories. In addition to that, the film ( alongside Thunderbolts) has also set the stage for Avengers: Doomsday, which is set for a December 2026 release.