The rumor mill has been busy as of late. Within the past couple of months, Kevin Feige unveiled the official cast for the upcoming Fantastic Four. Pedro Pascal (Reed Richards), Vanessa Kirby (Sue Storm), Joseph Quinn (Johnny Storm), and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Ben Grimm) are confirmed as your next Fantastic Four. The plot details remain unknown, but there’s been gossip as of late that Fantastic Four will be in an alternate universe.
It’s important to take this rumor with a grain of salt as neither Matt Shakman (the director) nor Kevin Feige have confirmed that this rumor is true. However, it would be quite shocking if it is since all of Marvel’s MCU films are connected to the larger story at hand. When you look at the scope of Marvel’s current situation, is it a smart idea to not put the Fantastic Four on Earth-616?
The Benefits Of Not Having Fantastic Four Within The Same Universe
The biggest benefit of the Fantastic Four not being in the MCU is that it wouldn’t be forced to build to the future. Kevin Feige masterfully did this so well in Marvel’s Phase One through Three, but the MCU has not been in a good state since then. Granted, there’s been plenty of great content to come out of the recent phases. When it comes to the larger picture, the future of the MCU is muddled with confusion.
Fantastic Four is already coming in with a lot of baggage. Though Marvel had nothing to do with the Fox brand of films, those movies damaged the IP as a whole. Fantastic Four NEEDS to be well…fantastic. Stripping away the ties of the entire universe allows Shakman to focus on one story that brings the best out of these characters without having to sell the ideas of what’s to come. There will likely be easter eggs here and there, but Fantastic Four won’t have to match the same tone and formula as the previous Marvel entries.
I’m not saying that Fantastic Four needs to be dark. The last film made it clear that direction was a mistake. However, Shakman can play with this world by switching up the style and crafting something bold that matches the spirit of the Fantastic Four. This is an opportunity for a new beginning, and it would be a shame if the formula is a copy-and-paste-style Marvel piece.
Putting It In An Alternate Universe Still Allows For Some Connectivity
This doesn’t mean that Marvel shouldn’t have Fantastic Four in the MCU someday. In fact, it would be disappointing if these characters never interacted with anyone else from the MCU. They should firmly establish the new generation of the Fantastic Four first before any talks of a cross-over begins. I like the alternate universe aspect better.
It allows for diverse storytelling. Maybe we could get Fantastic Four vs. The Avengers? There are so many cool dynamics at play here that keeping them apart from the beginning is a wise idea. Besides, Kevin Feige desperately needs to course-correct his current direction of the MCU. If he can restore the narrative structure that made the first set of Marvel films such a success then the brand can start to regain the trust of audiences. There’s no denying that the lack of quality has hurt Marvel’s credibility.
There’s been so much of a missed opportunity in the way they have handled the multiverse so far. This was a chance to change the rules and challenge the characters that could’ve opened the scope of a larger universe. Hopefully, Fantastic Four can capitalize on this notion. Even if we never see them vs. the Avengers, having both groups fight together would still be a rewarding experience.
Is It Smart To Put The Fantastic Four In A Different Universe?
Yes! Kevin Feige needs to fix his universe as it’s not in great shape at the moment. Allowing the Fantastic Four to take place in a different period gives the director the freedom to explore numerous themes and styles that don’t follow the normal Marvel pattern. Plus, it forces Shakman to narrow his focus to a small scope by establishing just who the Fantastic Four is. Of course, I would love to see this group meet the Avengers in the future, but let the Fantastic Four do their own thing for a movie or two and then the crossover events should happen.
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