The mystery surrounding the Fantastic Four's bracelets in The Fantastic Four: First Steps may have finally been answered in new footage. Taking place in a universe far away from Earth-616 in the MCU, The Fantastic Four's main setting will feature a number of differences from the world fans know and love, including technological ones.
New footage from The Fantastic Four: First Steps confirmed that the bracelets the team wears on their wrists are used for emergency alerts. The bracelets have been a major talking point amongst MCU fans since the first trailer for the new movie was released, with theories pointing to various functionalities before this clip set their purpose into stone.
A promotional ad for the NBA's Western Conference Finals (shared by @F4Update on X) showed the core quartet on stage for The Ted Gilbert Show. Suddenly, their bracelets light up simultaneously with the words "Alert!!" and "Game Time" flashing in bright red text, indicating the bracelets are used as an alert system to warn them of impending threats.
Previously, multiple online theories hypothesized other ideas for what these bracelets may have been used for. One of the most prominent theories was that the bracelets were similar to the ones seen in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, which allowed the Spider Society to travel to other realities without glitching.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps will bring together an A-list cast of stars for the first solo film featuring Marvel's First Family in the MCU. Starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, the titular quartet will be tasked with stopping the intergalactic threat known as Galactus, who puts their world in danger of being destroyed. The Fantastic Four: First Steps will debut in theaters on July 25.
The full clip can be seen below:
When Will We See the Fantastic Four's Bracelets in Action
Much of the footage shown in The Fantastic Four's trailers and TV spots seems to have come from one scene, which shows the team during and after their appearance on The Ted Gilbert Show. Taking that into consideration, along with the fact that this movie will not be an origin story, that scene is likely to be one of The Fantastic Four's earliest moments.
As for what the alert could be for, fans are likely to see the team take on one of the movie's lower-level villains — potentially somebody like the rumored Mole Man. This is sure to help establish their presence as heroes in their world before the bracelets go off more intently for the arrival of the Silver Surfer and Galactus later in the movie.
More than anything else, these bracelets will help give fans an idea of how technologically advanced this alternate universe is, particularly with a team featuring heroes as brilliant as Reed Richards and Sue Storm.
Combine that with the discrepancy fans will notice once the team makes their way to Earth-616, and this movie is sure to be the first steps to some thrilling plot threads for the entire MCU moving forward.
Richard Nebens joined The Direct in March 2020, now serving as the site's Senior Writer and also working as an assistant editor and content creator. He started his journalism career as a hobby in 2019 and is passionate about sharing news and stories from the entertainment industry, especially comic book movies, comedy, and sci-fi. Richard looks to expand his knowledge about movies and TV every day, and he is eager to stay locked into the latest releases and breaking news at every opportunity.
