Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: First Steps arrived in theaters on July 25, 2025, launching Phase 6 of the MCU. While the film was a crucial introduction to the First Family, one recurring fan criticism centered on the underutilization of Reed Richards' elastic abilities. Many viewers felt that Pedro Pascal’s Mr. Fantastic relied more on his scientific genius than his signature stretching power.
This deliberate limitation was not accidental. Director Matt Shakman imposed a strict rule on screenwriter Eric Pearson to keep Reed's stretching "within the physiology of the human body," aiming to prevent the powers from appearing "too crazy cartoony" in live-action. This grounding approach was evident in the film's climax, where Galactus painfully stretched Reed, leading to fan fears that the MCU’s Mr. Fantastic had been significantly "nerfed" compared to his comic book counterpart.
However, the recent unveiling of concept art from The Fantastic Four: First Steps – The Art of the Movie opened a new conversation. These unused sketches reveal four dynamic and expansive ways Reed Richards could have employed his powers, offering a glimpse into the character’s full potential. With the Fantastic Four confirmed for 2026’s Avengers: Doomsday, these deleted powers establish a clear roadmap for how Marvel can finally unleash Mr. Fantastic.
Powerful Reed Richards Abilities Left Out of Fantastic Four: First Steps
Twisting Around An Enemy
This deleted power showcases Mr. Fantastic operating as a true tactical weapon, using his entire body to neutralize a threat rather than just extending a limb. The concept art places Reed Richards alongside his teammates, locked in battle with a massive, robotic version of the classic Fantastic Four villain, Giganto.
Instead of relying on brute force, Reed employs a strategic takedown. He propels his body toward the colossal enemy, stretching his elongated form to coil entirely around the robot’s neck. Once secured, Reed uses his elasticized torque to tighten his grip and execute a violent twisting motion.
This move is a masterclass in applying physics through elasticity. It illustrates that Reed can use his powers to generate crushing, rotational forces capable of snapping or disabling targets far larger and stronger than himself.
Stretching Out a Knee To Attack
A close-quarters engagement from another art depicts Reed facing an armed foe. Instead of stretching his arm for a punch, Reed focuses his stretching abilities on his leg. He elongates his lower limb, driving his hardened knee into the enemy's back. The knee acts as a focused, high-mass projectile launched from a distance, rendering the enemy powerless despite wielding a large gun.
This powerful strike emphasizes that any part of Reed's body can become a formidable, shapeshifting weapon. This allows him to deliver high-impact attacks from unexpected angles.
Making a Giant Fist
This piece of concept art depicts Reed and Susan Storm on a humanitarian visit to a hospital, standing by the bedside of a critically ill child. The moment calls for charm, comfort, and a gentle display of the Fantastic Four’s miraculous nature.
Standing by the child’s bed, Reed uses his powers to dramatically enlarge one of his hands into a cartoonishly large fist. The purpose was to entertain the ill child, who looked enthralled by the presence of the heroes.
The ability to increase the mass and volume of a body part, especially one as complex as a hand, shows a mastery over his molecular structure. This move suggests that Reed can momentarily achieve size-changing feats, a power from the comics. In a combat context, this enhanced fist could be used to deliver a concussive blow that would floor even the most durable villain.
Throwing an Object
In another art, Mr. Fantastic utilizes his stretching ability to generate mechanical advantage and leverage, transforming him into an organic catapult that far exceeds human throwing capability.
The sketch captures a confrontation against one of Red Ghost's super apes, a classic, powerful, and agile foe. The battle requires Reed to quickly incapacitate this dangerous enemy without relying solely on punching.
Reed makes his limbs significantly lengthier, maximizing his grip strength, capturing the wild target, which doesn’t look like it's in the best of moods. He then uses his elastic lower body, pulling his torso into a deep, loaded lean-back stance, as if flinging away the ape.
Will Avengers: Doomsday Finally Unleash Reed Richards’ Full Power?
Avengers: Doomsday is set to be a world-breaking confrontation with Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom at the center of the chaos. The constraints imposed on Reed Richards will simply not apply on the scale of a multiversal Avengers event. This monumental clash demands that every hero operate at their absolute maximum potential.
The change in directorial teams and the narrative shift from an introduction to an epic battle could liberate Pedro Pascal’s character. To fight entities capable of shattering realities, Reed cannot rely solely on scientific knowledge, which Doom is arguably just as good at; he must utilize the full extent of his elastic powers as both a tactical defender and an offensive powerhouse.
The unused concepts, especially the full-body constriction and mass manipulation, provide the exact moves required to elevate Mr. Fantastic from a cautious scientist to a vital, combat-ready hero. Failing to incorporate these abilities would not only be a missed opportunity but also a narrative failure, not equipping one of the MCU's most brilliant minds for the battle of his life.
Robert Downey Jr.'s Victor von Doom is slated as the ultimate threat of the Multiverse Saga, a megalomaniac whose genius is matched only by his ambition to impose order upon all reality. Reports suggest his motivation stems from a vendetta against the Multiverse itself, driven by the messianic delusion that he alone can save existence from total collapse via incursions.
He views himself not as a villain, but as a ruthless savior who must eliminate all opposition, including established heroes and, potentially, anyone who has caused the multiversal instability, such as a time-traveling Steve Rogers. To combat a foe of this cosmic magnitude, one who commands menacing Doombots and potentially wield reality-warping power, Marvel has assembled an unprecedented ensemble.
The cast list confirms the convergence of the Fantastic Four, the Avengers, and major players from the X-Men universe (Professor X, Magneto, Beast). This colossal coalition validates the existential terror posed by Doom, making Mr. Fantastic's unrestricted power set essential for the team's survival.
Geraldo Amartey is a writer at The Direct. He joined the team in 2025, bringing with him four years of experience covering entertainment news, pop culture, and fan-favorite franchises for sites like YEN, Briefly and Tuko.
