The Fantastic Four: First Stepsdoesn’t hit theaters until July, but it seems Marvel Studios already knows what it has. As noted byVariety, a sequel to the upcoming MCU reboot is already in development — and Disney may have subtly confirmed it. In a surprise scheduling move, the studio dated an untitled Marvel movie for June 28, 2025, making it thefourthfeature film on Marvel’s calendar for that year. That alone is a bit eyebrow-raising. Disney CEOBob Igerhas spent much of the past year publicly vowing to slow down Marvel’s output after acknowledging the studio had “lost a little focus by making too much.”
In an investor call this May, he admitted, “We turned to all of our creative engines, including Marvel, and had them produce a lot more… we’ve all admitted to ourselves that we lost a little focus.By consolidating a bit and having Marvel focus much more on their films, we believe that will result in better quality.” So why suddenly announcefourMarvel movies for 2028?
That December slot is especially notable because of how Marvel’s current slate is spaced. AfterFantastic Four: First Stepsopens this July, the studio is releasing only two movies in 2026 (Spider-Man: Brand New DayandAvengers: Doomsday) and two in 2027 (Avengers: Secret Warsand an untitled July release). That 2028 film? Maybe it’sFantastic Four 2.
This wouldn’t be the first time Marvel preemptively locked a release date before publicly confirming a sequel. And considering how muchFirst Stepsis expected to relaunch a fresh saga — not unlikeIron Mandid in 2008 — a sequel feels like a safe bet. Even with the MCU’s recent stumbles (Captain America: Brave New World, go sit in the corner), early buzz aroundFantastic Fourhas been encouraging.
What Is ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ About?
Set in a retrofuturistic 1960s version of the MCU, the reboot starsPedro Pascal,Vanessa Kirby,Joseph Quinn, andEbonMoss-Bachrachas Marvel’s First Family. Directed byMatt Shakman, the film is said to blend cosmic adventure with emotional resonance, something the franchise has been missing since the Infinity Saga ended in 2019.
The reboot also marks a pivot toward Marvel’s newly acquired Fox characters, withAvengers: Secret Warsexpected to be the Multiverse Saga’s swan song before the studio focuses more heavily on the X-Men and Fantastic Four moving forward. There are other possibilities for that December 2028 release —Blade,Black Panther 3, or even an X-Men solo entry. But given the timing and the confirmation that aFantastic Foursequel is already in development, the signs are too strong to ignore.
The Fantastic Four: First Stepsopens in theaters on June 17, 2025.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Source: Variety
