A new report revealed Steve Rogers' cut scene from 2025's Fantastic Four: First Steps. Chris Evans' MCU veteran has been confirmed to return to the super-powered franchise later this year, as he bursts back onto the scene in Avengers: Doomsday. This will mark the character's first mainline appearance in the series since he 'retired' from his career of superhero-ing during 2019's Avengers: Endgame.
According to one noted insider, though, Steve's MCU return could have come much sooner. Speaking during a recent episode of The Hot Mic podcast, industry veteran John Rocha revealed there were initially plans for Chris Evans' OG Avengers to appear in the Fantastic Four: First Steps post-credits scene, but the moment was ultimately cut from the movie.
The scene would have seen "The Fantastic Four and Doom ask Steve Rogers to come with them to the MCU" in an effort to "gain the heroes' trust," Rocha divulged:
"The Fantastic Four and Doom ask Steve Rogers to come with them to the MCU, Earth-616, to help them gain the heroes' trust ... This was supposedly a post-credits scene in Fantastic Four that got removed. It could still be a scene in the movie."
He was not confident in disclosing the exact details of why Doom and the Fantastic Four would be working together, despite being often seen as enemies, but speculated that "Maybe they're working together because something Steve did caused a problem in their world:"
"Maybe initially they're not enemies. Maybe they're working together because something Steve did caused a problem in their world. They're coming over supposedly to help fix it, but then Doom betrays everyone and backstabs them."
Previously, insider MyTimeToShineHello had reported on a cut Steve Rogers scene from the 2025 film, but it looked notably different. Before First Steps came to the theater, the known Marvel scooper posited that a version of Chris Evans' hero would pop up in a post-credits sequence as a villainous version of his hero known as Nomad.
This is a far cry from the Fantastic Four post-credits scene fans eventually got. In the final movie, the only stinger present involved a hooded Doom mysteriously appearing in the Richards family's living room, looming over the young Franklin.
Many had assumed this after-action moment was meant to tee up the masked villain kidnapping the Fantastic Four's newest member, but perhaps it was instead leading into this 'working together' moment that Rocha has alluded to.
Fans recently got a taste of Steve Rogers' MCU return in Avengers: Doomsday as part of the first-ever teaser trailer for the upcoming film. This short first look focused on the longtime Marvel hero as he lives a tranquil life of retirement alongside his beloved Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) and their new baby.
The Fantastic Four and Steve Rogers can next be seen in Doomsday. The new film from Joe and Anthony Russo (Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Avengers: Endgame) comes to theaters on December 18, telling a universe-hopping story of Earth's Mightiest Heroes taking on the villainous Doctor Doom.
Steve Rogers' Role In Avengers: Doomsday
Instead of spoiling Steve Rogers' MCU return in the Fantastic Four: First Steps post-credits scene, it seems Marvel Studios opted to hold the reveal for the first Avengers: Doomsday teaser. However, just because this cut Fantastic Four stinger never made it into the final film, it does not mean fans will not see that moment come to life on-screen in some form.
One curious note of Marvel Studios' theatrical post-credits moments over the last couple of projects (since Thunderbolts*) was that they have been scenes pulled directly from Doomsday itself. Thunderbolts* saw a Fantastic Four-branded rocket enter their reality in the far reaches of space, and Fantastic Four was the Doctor Doom tease with Franklin.
So, there is a good chance that this cut F4 moment may also be a scene in the forthcoming Marvel team-up.
There have been reports that Doctor Doom's Doomsday plan will focus on hunting down Variants from across the Marvel Multiverse who have tampered with the timeline in any significant way. Chris Evans' Steve Rogers would be one of them.
Perhaps, Doom convinces the Fantastic Four to join him on a trip across reality under the guise of some noble cause, only for him to flip a villainous switch at one point in the upcoming movie, taking out a character like Steve Rogers and becoming the movie's big bad that fans expect him to be.
