Fantastic Four title teases a mutant so powerful they could defeat Thanos with a thought

At San Diego Comic-Con, we got our first real look at one of the most eagerly anticipated Marvel movies: Fantastic Four. 

In the ensuing panel and the avalanche of interviews, we learned even more about the upcoming Marvel movie, including its title, Fantastic Four: First Steps… which is an intriguing name for a superhero film.

So what does it mean? Well, you might think it refers to the four’s first steps into the MCU and their origin, but director Matt Shakman has already confirmed that one of the first decisions Marvel made was that this wouldn’t be an origin story.

That makes sense. After all, everyone knows the four’s origin – on an outer space adventure, they’re hit by cosmic rays, and the four were changed forever in some most fantastic ways (‘90s kids know) – so who’s taking their first steps? Well, what if I told you it’s the most powerful mutant in the history of Marvel?

A mutant powerhouse

Franklin Richards, the son of Reed Richards and Sue Storm, is the mutant in question. Now, if you’ve never read a comic before, you’d be forgiven for not knowing much about Franklin, but he’s basically Marvel Jesus (sorry, Deadpool). In fact, no, he’s not Jesus; he’s Marvel God, and his incredible psionic abilities put him on a completely different level from other “children of the atom.”

Put simply, Franklin is an immortal reality warper capable of going toe-to-toe with some of Marvel’s most powerful cosmic deities like Galactus and the Celestials (one for the Eternals fans). What I’m saying is that the Thanos we’ve seen in the MCU movies wouldn’t stand a chance.

In the comics, some of Franklin’s more impressive feats include making the aforementioned planet devourer into his herald, restarting the multiverse with a bit of help from his dad, and surviving until the end of the universe, after which he becomes the next reality’s version of Galactus. 

Basically, Franklin isn’t just a boss; he’s your boss’s boss’s boss. Of course, you’re probably wondering what this has to do with First Steps? Well, what do babies eventually take? First steps, of course! Yes, I think that the new Fantastic Four movie will reveal that Sue’s pregnant (or, more likely, she’s already had the baby), and it’s Franklin’s vast potential that alerts Galactus to the existence of Earth.

This would basically be a retelling of the story told in Fantastic Four #140-141, where the supervillain Annihilus realized Franklin’s power and traveled to Earth to investigate (and steal the boy’s powers). I’m sure Kevin Feige and the other Marvel suits will put their own spin on things, but this will be the general idea underpinning the story. 

Secret Wars

This isn’t just wild speculation on my part. Everyone’s favorite scoopers have taken a break from making up revealing details about other Marvel projects – who’d have thought Wolverine would have claws? And can you believe Spider-Man will wear a costume! – to ‘confirm’ that Franklin Richards will play a part in the story. 

Now, of course, we should take this “news”  with a healthy dose of skepticism but some of the more reliable scoopers have been reporting this as well, so it might have some truth to it. Still, I think the title alone and our knowledge of the upcoming Phase 6 movies basically confirms Marvel’s about to introduce Franklin, especially as he plays a major role in Secret Wars. 

Remember when I said he helped to restart the multiverse? Yeah, that happens in Secret Wars, and Marvel’s going to need someone to restart the multiverse after Robert Doomy Jr collapses it. It just makes sense to introduce Franklin now, and you know what? It’s going to be fantastic for the MCU (say that again).

If you’re looking for more marvelous content, then check out our guide breaking down the confusing Marvel timeline. We’ve also got separate pieces on all the new movies the studio is currently working on, including Captain America 4, Thunderbolts, and Avengers Doomsday.