Kevin Feige Confirms 'Fantastic Four' Directly Leads into 'Avengers: Doomsday'

Summary
The architectural blueprint ofMarvel Studios' Multiverse Saga continues to unfold with strategic precision. During a presentation atDisney's CineEurope convention, Marvel Studios head honchoKevin Feigeofficially confirmed that the events ofThe Fantastic Four: First Stepswill directly lead into December 2026'sAvengers: Doomsday. This revelation cements the highly anticipated debut of Marvel's First Family as an integral cornerstone of the next Avengers-level threat.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps, set for release on July 25, 2025, has already generated immense buzz with its unique premise. The film will reportedly take place on an alternate, retro-futuristic 1960s Earth, introducing audiences to Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm. The primary antagonist is confirmed to be the planet-devouring cosmic entity, Galactus (voiced by Ralph Ineson), alongside his herald, the Silver Surfer (Julia Garner). While director Matt Shakman has indicated Doctor Doom won't be in thisFantastic Fourfilm, theThunderbolts*post-credits scene already teased the team's arrival in the mainMCUtimeline, making this direct narrative connection somewhat anticipated by keen-eyed fans.
Feige's confirmation at CineEurope reinforces the interconnected nature of Phase 6 and beyond.Avengers: Doomsday, directed by the returningRusso Brothersand starringRobert Downey Jr.as the iconic villain Doctor Doom, is currently shooting in London. The direct link suggests that the Fantastic Four's journey – likely involving their displacement from their own reality and their encounter with a cosmic threat – will directly set the stage for the massive multiversal conflict that Doctor Doom instigates in the next Avengers film.
This strategic narrative tethering serves to elevate the importance ofThe Fantastic Four: First Steps, positioning it not just as a standalone origin-adjacent story, but as a critical precursor to the MCU's next grand saga. Fans now have a clearer understanding that the cosmic stakes and character introductions within the Fantastic Four's debut will resonate profoundly in the lead-up toDoomsday.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Yahoo

3 hours ago

• Yahoo

Jon Bernthal Joins Tom Holland in ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day'

Jon Bernthal has appeared in several Marvel television series as the stone-cold vigilante known as the Punisher, even headlining his own series. Now he's taking his guns to the big screen. More from The Hollywood Reporter Abigail Breslin, Booboo Stewart to Star in Dramedy Movie 'A Good Fight' (Exclusive) Steven Spielberg Thought 'Jaws' "Would Be the Last Movie I Would Ever Be Given to Direct" How Prime Video Gives Cord-Cutters One-Stop Access to Apple TV+, HBO Max, Paramount+ and More Bernthal has joined Tom Holland in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the latest Spider-Man movie from Sony and Marvel. Destin Daniel Cretton is directing the feature, which will shoot in England this summer and has a July 31, 2026, release date. Much of the movie remains shrouded in mystery. Movie rumor websites have listed upwards of a dozen possible villains, from crime bosses to alien symbiotes, who could appear in the feature, as well as a couple of different versions of the Hulk. The only thing clear at this stage is that Zendaya and Jacob Batalon are reprising their roles as MJ and best friend Ned, although how substantial those roles will be remains unclear. And Stranger Things star Sadie Sink is the big new addition so far. The story takes place after the events of the previous movie, Spider-Man: No Way Home, in which the entire world knew Peter Parker was Spider-Man and then had that knowledge erased. Having Bernthal as the Punisher seems to point to a slightly more grounded angle on the story as the character hails from the gritty street corner of Marvel's universe and, in the comics at least, uses fists, knives and guns to tussle with bad guys, rather than spells or fancy tech. But hey, having him square off against a rampaging Hulk could be fun, too. Bernthal first showed up as vigilante Frank Castle, aka the Punisher, in Marvel's Daredevil Netflix series, then starred in his own series that ran for two seasons. He recently returned for a few episodes in Daredevil: Born Again on Disney+. Marvel is betting on more Punisher and Bernthal in the months and years to come. The character is set to return for season two of Born Again and Marvel is bringing Bernthal back for a Punisher stand-alone feature for Disney+. Bernthal is co-writing the latter. Curiously, one nonnegotiable he had for his return to Daredevil was maintaining the character's violent, R-rated feel. It will be interesting to see how that translates into the more kid-friendly tone of the Spider-Man movies. Bernthal and Holland have a charmed history together when it comes to Marvel. The duo were working on the 2017 feature Pilgrimage when prepping to audition for their Marvel roles. The actors helped each other with their audition tapes. This year, Bernthal's big-screen output has included starring opposite Ben Affleck in The Accountant 2 for Amazon and appearing in the Rami Malek thriller The Amateur for 20th Century Fox. Bernthal is repped by CAA and Sloane Offer. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Wes Anderson's Movies Ranked From Worst to Best 13 of Tom Cruise's Most Jaw-Dropping Stunts Hollywood Stars Who Are One Award Away From an EGOT

Geek Tyrant

4 hours ago

• Geek Tyrant

Jon Bernthal's Punisher Officially Joins SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY! — GeekTyrant

Jon Bernthal is officially bringing the Punisher into Spider-Man: Brand New Day ! The next installment in Tom Holland's Spidey saga. Frank Castle is actually stepping into the Sony/Marvel Spider-Verse, and this is for real, and it's awesome! The film, which begins shooting this summer in England, will be directed by Shang-Chi 's Destin Daniel Cretton and is set to hit theaters July 31, 2026. Zendaya and Jacob Batalon are expected to return as MJ and Ned, and Stranger Things breakout Sadie Sink has joined the cast in an undisclosed role. The story picks up after the reality-resetting events of No Way Home , where no one remembers Peter Parker is Spider-Man. That gives the narrative a clean slate, and apparently a perfect window to drop in Marvel's most brutal antihero. Bernthal's take on Frank Castle was first introduced in Netflix's Daredevil series and later spun off into The Punisher . He recently returned in Disney+'s Daredevil: Born Again, and not only is he starring in Season 2—he's also co-writing a solo Punisher special. So yeah, the man is in. This new crossover has been years in the making, even if unintentionally. Bernthal and Tom Holland actually helped each other score their Marvel gigs while working together on the 2017 film Pilgrimage. Bernthal told Jimmy Kimmel Live: 'We did a film about seven or eight years ago. That was where both Tom did his audition for Spider-Man and I did my audition for Punisher. We actually made each other's audition tapes on that film.' He even had a hand in giving Holland some iconic Spider-Man flair: 'I gave him the note, 'Tom, maybe you should run up that wall and do a double backflip and then start the scene.' And he was like, 'Yeah, you think I should do that? That's not too much?' I was like, 'I don't think any of these other fools are able to do that,' and he in fact did that.' Now, after years of parallel stories, they're finally sharing the screen in the MCU. With Peter navigating a world that doesn't know who he is, and Castle never caring much for red tape, the dynamic between these two could be explosive. We don't know exactly how the Punisher will fit into Brand New Day , but I can't wait to see how this comes together! One's a neighborhood-friendly hero trying to stay under the radar. The other's a walking storm of gunpowder and grief. Whatever happens, it won't be boring. Source: Deadline

Yahoo

5 hours ago

• Yahoo

Jon Bernthal's Punisher Set for ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day' With Tom Holland

The Punisher returns. Jon Bernthal is suiting up as the vigilante once again for 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day,' Sony and Marvel's latest web-slinging adventure. Bernthal first suited up as The Punisher in Netflix's 2016 series 'Daredevil,' becoming a fan-favorite before starring in his own spin-off series 'The Punisher' in 2017. More from Variety 'The Accountant 2' Releases on Digital Jon Bernthal Says He 'Made' Tom Holland's Audition Tape for 'Captain America: Civil War,' Takes 'a Little' Credit For Him Becoming Spider-Man Former 'Daredevil' Star Ben Affleck Says He 'Wouldn't Tangle' With Jon Bernthal's Punisher It marks the fourth film centered on Tom Holland's Peter Parker, following the Jon Watts-directed 'Spider-Man: Homecoming' (2017), 'Spider-Man: Far From Home' (2019) and 'Spider-Man: No Way Home' (2021). 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' filmmaker Destin Daniel Cretton will direct 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day.' 'Stranger Things' star Sadie Sink will also appear in the film. Plot details on the fourth installment remain under wraps. 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day' will swing into theaters on July 31, 2026. More to come… Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? 25 Hollywood Legends Who Deserve an Honorary Oscar