Fantastic Four First Steps Review! (Is it Worth It?)

Fantastic Four: First Steps – A Game-Changer for the MCU (No Spoilers)

Let’s be real—Marvel fans have been anxiously waiting to see how the Fantastic Four would finally be integrated into the MCU. After years of false starts and lackluster reboots, Fantastic Four: First Steps arrives like a cosmic breath of fresh air. But the real kicker? This movie isn’t just a superhero origin story it’s a crucial domino in the setup for Avengers: Doomsday, Secret Wars, and possibly even the rebirth of the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe.

And while there’s plenty to say about the film itself, the post-credit scene? Yeah, that’s where things go full multiverse meltdown.

So What’s the Story?

The film opens with a tone that feels more grounded than you’d expect from a team known for exploring alternate dimensions. Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm are introduced not as instant superheroes but as brilliant, flawed people at a pivotal moment in their lives. They’re scientists, adventurers, and friends, navigating the chaos of a high-stakes research project at the Future Foundation—a think tank with a foot in both science and interdimensional discovery.

Their “first steps” are literal. After a tragic accident involving experimental travel to another dimension (likely the Negative Zone, though the film is coy about naming it directly), the four are forever changed. Reed becomes elastic, Sue gains invisibility and force-field powers, Johnny bursts into flame (literally), and Ben turns into the rock-solid powerhouse known as The Thing.

What makes this transformation work isn’t just the spectacle it’s how the film leans into the emotional fallout. These aren’t cool new party tricks. These powers come with pain, fear, isolation. Ben especially wrestles with his monstrous appearance, and there’s a gut-punch of a scene where he looks at his reflection for the first time. No words. Just silence and heartbreak.

Reed, ever the optimist, becomes consumed with fixing what happened. Sue tries to hold the team together, while Johnny reckless and charming uses his newfound powers as a coping mechanism. Their dynamic feels real. Messy. Earnest. And that’s what gives First Steps its soul.

But the real heart of the story comes from a twist most fans weren’t expecting this early: the introduction of baby Franklin Richards.

That’s right Reed and Sue are already parents. It’s handled quietly at first, like a subplot threading through the chaos. But by the third act, it’s clear that Franklin isn’t just there for emotional stakes. He’s important. Dangerously important.

Meet Franklin Richards—The MCU’s Secret Weapon

The heart of this new setup is a pint-sized powerhouse named Franklin Richards—the son of Reed Richards and Sue Storm. Now, if you’re familiar with the comics, you know Franklin is no ordinary kid. We’re talking about an omega-level mutant who can warp reality, create universes, and at one point… made Galactus his herald. You read that right.

In First Steps, we catch a glimpse of just how powerful this kid is. Galactus isn’t just interested in Franklin—he needs him. As in, “I’m an eternal cosmic entity and this baby could solve my eternal hunger” kind of need. That should tell you everything.

But he’s not the only one with eyes on Franklin…

Enter: Doom

The post-credit scene jumps ahead four years. Franklin’s older now—still a child, but one who can already speak, understand, and seemingly process complex ideas. His mom, Sue, is reading to him from The Very Hungry Caterpillar, which is adorable… until things get real weird, real fast.

Looking for another book, Sue grabs The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin a not-so-subtle wink at Franklin’s evolutionary leap as a mutant. Then she settles on a more light-hearted book, A Fly Went By, but just as she heads back to the couch, things shift. The music turns ominous. A mysterious hum fills the room. And then, through the shadows, we see him—green cloak, metal mask in hand. The moment we’ve been waiting for: Doctor Doom.

And not just any Doom. According to reports and heavy implication, this Doom is played by none other than Robert Downey Jr.

Yep. RDJ is back—not as Iron Man, but as Victor Von Doom.

Robert Downey Jr. as Doom? Let That Sink In.

Marvel Studios isn’t exactly being subtle here. The decision to bring back RDJ, not as a resurrected Tony Stark, but as one of the greatest villains in comic book history, is a wild—and honestly, brilliant—move. For fans, it adds a layer of emotional complexity. Imagine Sue and Reed seeing this man who looks exactly like Tony Stark, but with very, very different motives.

The symbolism is powerful. Doom is literally holding his iconic mask, his face scarred—just like in the comics. But here’s where it gets interesting: baby Franklin reaches out and touches Doom’s face. And there’s speculation that Franklin is actually healing him.

Why would Marvel pay RDJ over $100 million to cover his face the whole time, right?

This healing moment isn’t just cinematic fan service. It ties directly into Secret Wars (2015), where Doom’s face is healed during the multiverse reset. So if Franklin can already manipulate reality at this level… we’re in for a seriously powerful payoff.

Well, it’s Franklin. Simple as that. Doom needs power—cosmic, universe-making, multiverse-bending power. And Franklin Richards might just be the key to reshaping everything.

In the comics, Doom actually tries to save the multiverse. Sounds noble, right? Except his methods involve killing alternate versions of Molecule Man, absorbing power from the Beyonders (those god-tier beings), and eventually ruling over a stitched-together realm called Battleworld as “God Emperor Doom.” That’s the kind of ambition we’re talking about.

So with Avengers: Doomsday looming and Secret Wars on the horizon, Doom’s interest in Franklin feels like the start of a much, much bigger chess game.

A New MCU on the Horizon

Here’s where it all gets even more exciting (and mind-bendy): Marvel has confirmed that Secret Wars will reset the main MCU timeline. That’s right—new universe, new opportunities, and possibly, a new roster of Avengers, X-Men, and more.

And guess who might help build that new universe? Franklin Richards.

In the comics, Franklin literally helps recreate the multiverse after its destruction, and if Marvel is sticking close to the Secret Wars (2015) blueprint, we could see the MCU reborn with Franklin at the center of it all.

That makes Fantastic Four: First Steps not just a soft reboot or an introduction—it’s the launchpad for the next era of Marvel storytelling.

Final Thoughts: A Giant Step for Marvel

Fantastic Four: First Steps may not be the flashiest MCU movie to date, but its implications? They’re massive. Between Franklin Richards, the tease of God Emperor Doom, and RDJ’s wild new role, this film isn’t just a prelude—it’s prophecy.

It sets up the next major phases in Marvel’s multiverse saga, opens the door for a true universe reset, and finally gives long-time fans a reason to get hyped about the Fantastic Four’s place in the MCU. If you thought the multiverse was confusing before, buckle up. We’re just getting started.

So, what did you think about the movie? Do you like the direction Marvel is heading with Franklin and Doom? And how do you feel about RDJ trading his Iron Man suit for a green cloak?

Let’s talk about it. Because if First Steps taught us anything, it’s that the future of the MCU isn’t just in good hands—it’s in dangerously powerful ones.