Fantastic Four In The MCU – The Future is Bright for Marvel Fans

It’s tough getting a superhero film to work well. I know we all felt like the MCU was on a roll, but it’s not happening without careful planning and execution. The culmination of years of films leading up to Avengers: Endgame looks impossible on paper. It’s insane to think so many things needed to go well for that finale to really pack a punch. Still, Disney and Marvel did it. It’s a great feeling if you’re a Marvel fan to know things are handled so delicately by the studios. Not every movie was as good as the next. That does mean that the future is far from certain as well. When something works, however, it’s best to keep rolling with it, which is why introducing the Fantastic Four in the MCU is going to need to be handled carefully to work.

The Fantastic Four Dilemma – Why an MCU Entrance is Exciting Yet Nerve-Wracking

Just please, don’t make Thing look like this ever again. (Image: Fantastic Four (2005), the studio formerly known as 20th Century Fox)

It’s amazing to know that so many exciting projects are underway at Disney. Investor Day was full of fun reveals, teasers, and more regarding the future of Disney, Marvel, and Star Wars. One of my favorite reveals was the plan to introduce the Fantastic Four in the MCU. Why? These characters deserve a proper film and they haven’t gotten it yet. The upcoming project is keeping this very issue in mind. Jon Watts, the director of Spider-Man: Homecoming is set to direct. Furthermore, Disney isn’t banking on the film to be a do-or-die project. They’re kicking off Phase Four instead with Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings now filming.

When it comes to nailing a film starring the First Family of Marvel, it’s going to take a lot of careful consideration about what’s gone wrong in the past. A reboot in 2015 with a $120+ million budget failed to do what the 2005 and 2007 films also couldn’t do. If you dive into the early Fantastic Four comics, then you find incredible storytelling and dynamic action starring interesting characters. None of that makes its way to the screen in past films. The casting is less of an issue for me as the placement in the grand scheme of things regarding the MCU.

What We Need to See

(image: Marvel Comics)

In my eyes, the first film starring the Fantastic Four needs to keep things light. If we’re going to buy into what Disney seems to be doing this next Phase, then we need a group who can come off as tough-as-nails but also have some charisma. I don’t necessarily want Thor-level sarcasm or Guardians-level hijinks. Give us a movie with heart that treats the Fantastic Four with a bit of humanity. No film to date, especially the 2017 effort, captures the spirit of these heroes in the right way. We need to see an imaginative, optimistic group of heroes, not ones that constantly seem under the gun. Give us a bit of gravitas and spare us the coming-of-age nonsense.

If Disney nails the entrance of Fantastic Four in the MCU, then they could be a great group to shift focus to in Phase Five. For now, let the smaller, lesser-known heroes to the general public get their spotlight. Then, as we likely see the Guardians and MCU veterans start to exit, we can let the First Family take the reigns. That is, if things go smoothly this time around.

Featured Image Credit: Marvel Studios/Disney

Taylor is the Gaming Editor of Comic Years and a lifelong fan of video games. He holds two degrees in Political Communication and wrote a Master's Thesis on resistance movements, race, and the exploitation of college athletes. His wife and two Toy Australian Sheppards keep him sane.