Credit: Marvel StudiosImages from the set of The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025) suggest a surprise twist is heading our way.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps has been a long time coming, but it’s finally just around the corner. Well, kind of.
As of two weeks ago, the third cinematic attempt at a Fantastic Four franchise has started filming. This time around, we’ll see Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/Human Torch, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing.
Game of Thrones actor Ralph Ineson will also star as Galactus, an intergalactic being who consumes planets (or, to be precise, their life force), while Julia Garner will play Shalla-Bal/Silver Surfer.
While Marvel Studios is keeping the film’s finer details under wraps, we do know that it will be set in a different universe from the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Earth-616. It’ll also take place in the 1960s, giving the film a unique retro-futuristic aesthetic (something that’s already evident from set pictures showing the team’s new suits).
Fresh off the announcement at San Diego Comic-Con that Robert Downey Jr. will portray Victor von Doom (AKA Doctor Doom) in Avengers: Doomsday (2026), it’s also thought that the former Tony Stark/Iron Man actor will cameo in a mid- or post-credits scene for the film as a part of his multi-million dollar payday.
For now, we’ll have to make do with the little info we have about The Fantastic Four: First Steps. However, as filming continues, it’s inevitable that we’ll receive more tidbits about the first family of the Marvel Universe’s grand return to the big screen.
That’s proven true this week with the release of an image that seemingly confirms a shock twist in the film.
Pictures from the set feature a sign for a store named “Westview Appliances Television.” Marvel fans will recognize the name from the town enchanted by Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) as she immerses herself into a false reality in which Vision (Paul Bettany) is still alive and they share two children, Billy (Julian Hilliard) and Tommy (Jett Klyne).
Westview also serves as the setting for the upcoming Disney+ series Agatha All Along, in which Kathryn Hahn reprises her role of Agatha Harkness from WandaVision.
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Whether or not this means the Fantastic Four actually find themselves in Westview remains to be seen. However, the Marvel fandom being what it is, theories have already cropped up on social media as to why Westview would appear in the film.
Some have suggested that the Fantastic Four could find themselves on Earth-616 at some point in the film – which would help set up interactions with the Avengers and other heroes in future MCU installments – while others have (rather optimistically) theorized that Wanda will play a role in the film, which would certainly be a twist.
In our opinion, the most likely (but sadly quite boring) explanation here is that Westview is just an easter egg. The director of The Fantastic Four: First Steps is Matt Shakman, who directed and produced Wandavision for Disney+, so it could very easily just be a quick callback to his previous efforts in the MCU.
However, until July 25, 2025, rolls around, we won’t know for sure. Watch this space.
Are you excited for Fantastic Four: The First Steps? Share your theories for the film with us in the comments!