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One of the most highly anticipated Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film projects is the new Fantastic Four movie, which fans are desperate for additional information on. While rumors are constantly swirling regarding the film's production, one key allegation as of late is that the film will take place in a separate universe from the mainline one of the MCU.
While some are upset to hear that the group's appearance in the mainline MCU Earth could be delayed, this is actually the best way to produce the movie when considering some upcoming MCU projects.
The choice also makes sense in terms of giving Marvel's first family the focus they deserve in the new Fantastic Four movie, fully fleshing out their own characters and their relationship as a team, and introducing a key figure to the upcoming Secret Wars storyline.
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Everything known about the new Fantastic Four so far
While the rumor about the movie being set in an alternate universe and its potential impact on the film is the main topic of discussion surrounding the new Fantastic Four movie, it's far from the only one. In fact, discussion on the rumor has been especially fueled by recent official news regarding the film's production.
The most significant news is the castings for the film’s titular group, which were officially confirmed in February. Pedro Pascal is playing “Mister Fantastic” Reed Richards in the film, while Vanessa Kirby will play “The Invisible Woman” Sue Storm.
“The Human Torch” Johnny Storm is set to be played by Stranger Things’ Joseph Quinn, while “The Thing” Ben Grimm is set to be played by The Bear’s Ebon Moss-Bachrach.
These casting announcements and the retro artwork with which these announcements were made suggest that the new Fantastic Four movie will take place in the 1960s or a similar time period.
Again, while the choice to separate Marvel's first family from ongoing current events in the MCU is controversial to some, it's likely the right way to approach the group's introduction when considering the franchise's long-term goals and plans.
Why the film is right to set itself in an alternate universe
One of the biggest reasons it's the right choice is that the upcoming Secret Wars project is the franchise’s main focus for now. While Phase Five has begun laying the foundation for this project, the new Fantastic Four movie is expected to be significant in these efforts. One of the biggest reasons for this is the general belief that the MCU will introduce its version of Dr. Doom in the film.
With Doom playing a key role in the original Secret Wars storyline, it's expected that the MCU rendition will at least have him involved, if not show him as a key player. While speculative as of this article’s writing, it’s expected that Doctor Doom's appearance in the new Fantastic Four movie will also directly set up the Secret Wars storyline in and of itself.
With this in mind, delaying the team's inclusion into the mainline MCU allows Kevin Feige and co. to tackle all necessary setup angles for Secret Wars simultaneously rather than needing to follow a linear and sequential narrative path.
Lastly, having the film set in an alternate universe gives fans time to learn about the team and their relationship in isolation. Given the group's fame, Marvel will likely want to take their time fully fleshing out their first family, likely in pursuit of having them become bigger than the MCU's Avengers group was in Phase One.
What Marvel could be planning by separating the new Fantastic Four movie from the mainline MCU
It's well known that rather than directly pulling from the comics, Feige and his MCU team tend to take inspiration and tweak certain aspects of a storyline. This is likely their approach to the Secret Wars storyline, giving fans some familiar aspects of its build and introducing unforeseen variables.
This would be another benefit of having the new Fantastic Four movie set in an alternate universe. Within this universe, fans can see Victor von Doom play his traditional role in the Secret Wars storyline.
Meanwhile, in the MCU, Feige and co. can put a new twist on the narrative by giving Doom a partner in crime or even a universal counterpart—Kang the Conqueror. However, given Doom's smarts and charisma, he'll almost certainly work with his doppelganger rather than restrain him.
Nevertheless, this is all speculative as of this article's writing, with essentially no plot information for the film confirmed thus far. Unfortunately, with its tentative late July 2025 release date, fans will likely be waiting a long while before receiving any official plot information, let alone a full-fledged trailer.
Related links:
Fantastic Four: Comparing film adaptations - A study of Marvel's evolving first family
Cillian Murphy discusses the potential of portraying Dr. Doom in the new Fantastic Four movie
Fantastic Four (2025): Release Date, What to expect, Cast and more
The Fantastic Four reboot: A possible major villain on the horizon
