Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige specified which upcoming Marvel movie is his most-anticipated release.
After a smaller slate of projects than usual in 2024 for Marvel Studios, 2025 will bring over half a dozen new entries to the big and small screen. This will also coincide with the start of the MCU's Phase 6, which will deliver at least six new films to theaters by 2027.
This slate is filled with heavy hitters, including sequels for Captain America and Spider-Man along with the MCU's first solo outing for the Fantastic Four.
Kevin Feige's Most-Anticipated Marvel Movie
In a video message from Disney Content Showcase 2024 in Singapore, via DisneyPlusID on X (formerly Twitter), Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige shared his most anticipated upcoming MCU movie with fans.
While he is excited about the entire MCU slate, his definitive answer was 2025's The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which will "finally [bring] Marvel’s First Family into the MCU."
He also noted that filming for the movie will finish by December 1 before the Fantastic Four moves "right into our next Avengers movie:"
"Well, I’m excited about all of them, but I would say…'Fantastic Four.' Again, talk about trying to bring something to life for 25 years, that is one, finally bringing Marvel’s First Family into the MCU. And that cast that you listed a few minutes ago is just so great. They wrap next week, we finish, the movie comes out this summer, and then all of those characters go right into our next 'Avengers' movie, so I’m very excited for the future of the Fantastic Four."
Feige shared similar comments about his excitement for The Fantastic Four with The Official Marvel Podcast in late June.
Noting how the corporate answer was, "They’re all our babies, and we love them all equally," he made it clear that "the real answer" was The Fantastic Four.
He then heaped praise on director Matt Shakman for his work on the movie, who had already moved to London to start working on the film:
"Well, you know, the corporate answer is 'They’re all our babies, and we love them all equally, and I’m very excited for 'Deadpool & Wolverine' and then 'Agatha All Along' and 'Captain America: Brave New World' and 'Thunderbolts' with an asterisk and the new 'Daredevil.' And that’s true, but if you want the real answer, if we’re trying to get real on this podcast, the answer is 'The Fantastic Four.' I am incredibly excited for what we’re doing with 'The Fantastic Four' right now, and what Matt Shakman, our director who did 'WandaVision' for us, is working on. He’s already moved to London and we start filming at the end of July. "
Further explaining the shoot schedule, he referenced how the team has not been utilized much outside of John Krasinski's cameo as Reed Richards in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Chris Evans' role as Johnny Storm in Deadpool & Wolverine:
"Funny story, we start shooting the Monday after Comic-Con, the day after Comic-Con is the first day of filming on 'Fantastic Four.' I am extremely excited by it because I think those characters are mainstays, are legendary pillars of the Marvel Universe that we’ve never gotten to play with or explore in any significant way apart from 'Multiverse of Madness' and a few fun teases before in the way that we’re doing it in that film. So, I’m extremely excited for that, and I’m also excited for the two 'Avengers' movies, and that’ll be after 'Fantastic Four.'"
What To Expect in Marvel Studios' The Fantastic Four
Starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, The Fantastic Four: First Steps will be Marvel Studios' first attempt at a movie featuring the iconic quartet. It is said to take place in a "1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world," setting them in a universe far away from Earth-616 to start.
An early synopsis for the MCU's first Fantastic Four film teased the team facing "their most daunting challenge yet," coming in the form of Ralph Ineson's Galactus and Julia Garner's Silver Surfer.
Ineson is expected to embody an enormous comic-accurate take on Galactus, who is sure to threaten the safety of this team's universe and everybody in it. Many are expecting some kind of Incursion to take center stage as well, considering the film's place as a lead-up to the events of Avengers: Doomsday.
One lingering question on fans' minds before the film's release is whether this will be the first introduction for Robert Downey Jr.'s take on Doctor Doom, who will be the big bad of the next two Avengers films. At the very least, many expect him to be teased in a mid or post-credits scene as his reign of terror looms over the MCU.
No matter how the details play out, anticipation is high across the board for this team to finally get its due shine in the MCU after decades outside of Marvel Studios' umbrella.
With filming nearing an end, The Fantastic Four's promotional tour is expected to begin in the near future, possibly with a first full trailer dropping during February 2025's Super Bowl festivities. However everything unfolds, this team joining the MCU is sure to be a sight to behold.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps is set to soar into theaters on July 25, 2025.
