'Fantastic Four' Director Debunks a Bad Rumor About Kevin Feige

Marvel director Matt Shakman has shared the freedoms he had during the making of The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

By Lauren Rouse Posted:
Fantastic Four Kevin Feige, Sue Storm

The Fantastic Four: First Steps director Matt Shakman has commented on the freedoms he had to explore Marvel's first family, amid concerns that the studio placed mandates on the film. The Fantastic Four: First Steps was the first adaptation of the classic comic book characters set within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and expectations were high after two previous franchise attempts. As is the case with any Marvel Studios film, the story needed to fit in with the plans for the broader MCU, and this led to online rumblings and rumors that Kevin Feige may have stifled Shakman's vision for the new Fantastic Four.

Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards in The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Marvel Studios

This seems not to have been the case, as Shakman revealed in an interview with Next Best Picture, where he was asked if Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige requested any inclusions in the movie in order to set up further MCU projects.

The First Steps director debunked any claims that Feige had such mandates for establishing or teasing upcoming Marvel movies/shows, confirming that the only 'set-up' during Fantastic Four's development and production was focused on the team's retro-futuristic 1960s-inspired alternate Earth separate from the MCU's main Earth-616:

Next Best Picture: “Was there anything that, in the preparation for this, that Kevin Feige tapped you on the shoulder and said, 'Hey, you have to make sure you include this in the movie to set up so-and-so?'"

Shakman: "No, not at all. We were just focused on telling this story, setting up this new, retro-future, ‘60s world and introducing Marvel's First Family. Wasn't really thinking about movies to come, just focusing on this one.”

In the past, Marvel Studios CEO Kevin Feige has been known to pass down mandates to MCU filmmakers that often influence their creative visions. During an interview with Marvel Entertainment on the red carpet for The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Feige was asked whether he passed on any ideas or hopes to Shakman for these characters in the MCU. The studio head said they agreed on The Fantastic Four: First Steps being "its own standalone movie" and that it would take place "in its own universe." Feige said Shakman responded positively to this as he could "really put his stamp on something new:" 

"[During] the early conversations, we knew we wanted this to be its own standalone movie. We knew we wanted this to take place in its own universe, Earth-828 for those keeping track, and [Shakman] embraced that. He loved the idea of being able to really put his stamp on something new that hadn't been done before, that will continue into our universe, but that we meet for the first time here, without any strings, without any prior knowledge necessary. And he dove right in."

The Fantastic Four: First Steps follows Marvel's first family as they race to protect their Earth from Galactus, the world devourer, who has marked their planet for death. The film was released in cinemas on July 25 and stars Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm. 

Fantastic Four: First Steps' Freedom Worked in the Film's Favor

Fantastic Four in space suits in The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Marvel Studios

As far as Marvel Studios films go, The Fantastic Four: First Steps had an almost unprecedented level of freedom. Since the MCU began in 2008 with Iron Man, it has steadily been building out a shared timeline and world, with each story having the potential to impact the other. 

With The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Shakman didn't have to worry about the MCU's past or current happenings, as his film took place on an entirely separate Earth. This idea, which Feige cosigned, allowed for the positive and charming spirit of the characters from the comics to be adapted faithfully in the MCU, which was particularly carried by the '60s vibe that the movie's alternate Earth allowed for. 

While the Fantastic Four characters will soon be roped into the events of the wider MCU in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, there's no doubt that giving the characters space to be explored in their own universe made for a better introduction into the MCU.

- In This Article: The Fantastic Four
Release Date
July 25, 2025
Platform
Theaters
Actors
- About The Author: Lauren Rouse
Lauren Rouse has been a writer at The Direct since the site launched in 2020. She has a huge passion for everything pop culture and currently writes news articles for the Marvel, Star Wars, DC and video game branches.