The director of Fantastic Four: First Steps revealed whether the MCU reboot will feature any surprise cameos from the iconic Avengers. Unlike almost every other MCU movie, The Fantastic Four: First Steps does not take place on Earth-616 (or Earth-19999 as some would argue) but is rather set elsewhere in the Multiverse in a '60s retro-future-inspired world.
Director Matt Shakman teased The Fantastic Four: First Steps' unique alternate-universe setting in an interview with Empire, saying they "are [their] own universe," which he noted is "wonderful and liberating."
He added that there are " really no [other] superheroes" and "no Easter Eggs" to be found in The Fantastic Four.
"There's really no [other] superheroes. There's no Easter eggs. There's no running into Iron Man or whatever. They're it, in this universe.
Based on Shakman's statement, it's clear that the Fantastic Four are on their own as the threat of Galactus looms over their Earth with no other heroes to help. As such, fans shouldn't hold their breath for any mind-blowing Avenger cameos.
While the filmmaker stated his fondness for the interconnected MCU, Shakman called the experience "so new and so different." He was clear that "eventually this world will meet up with other worlds," but for now, it will remain standalone:
"I love the interconnected Marvel Universe, but we get to do something so new and so different.Eventually this world will meet up with other worlds — but for now this is our own little corner."
Read about the latest footage from The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which debuted at CinemaCon and unveiled the new female Silver Surfer.
How The Fantastic Four Will Meet the MCU's Avengers Very Soon
The wait for the Fantastic Four's crossover with the wider MCU won't be a long one, as Marvel's First Family will officially return in Avengers: Doomsday, where they are expected to play a major role in the fight against Doctor Doom.
Just because no Avengers will appear in The Fantastic Four, that doesn't mean the movie won't be vital in setting up Doomsday. It has been widely speculated that Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom will hail from this retro-future Earth, and reports have claimed the Avengers 5 villain will debut in The Fantastic Four.
This could lay the groundwork for a major rivalry between Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom and Pedro Pascal's Reed Richards that is pivotal in Marvel Comics and will, hopefully, be equally important in the MCU's upcoming crossover.
Marvel Studios may have already explained how the heroic family ends up in Avengers 5, as Reed Richards looked to be investigating Multiversal travel in the movie's first trailer. Perhaps the team will flee to another Earth after Galactus wipes out their world or even chase Doctor Doom across the Multiverse.
Beyond the coming Avengers movies, the Fantastic Four, Avengers, and X-Men will likely find their home on the same Earth, opening the doors to more crossovers in the future. This could be a result of Doomsday and Secret Wars' major Multiversal conflict that may culminate in a soft reboot of the MCU.
