Contains spoilers for “The Fantastic Four: First Steps”
“The Fantastic Four: First Steps” might be set in a different MCU reality (it takes place on Earth-828 as opposed to Earth-616), but that doesn’t mean it’s abandoning everything people expect out of a Marvel movie. There’s still plenty of humor, an epic final action sequence, and post-credits scenes that’ll have you silently judging everyone who gets out of their seats early. In fact, “Fantastic Four: First Steps” has two extra scenes you’ll want to check out.
After the Fantastic Four defeat Galactus (Ralph Ineson), a year passes before the credits roll, and they’re beloved heroes once more. Four more years go by before we get to the mid-credits scene, meaning Franklin Richards is now five years old. Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby) is reading to her son, and as she goes to get another book, she hears a strange noise coming from where Franklin is sitting. She walks over to discover a strange figure in a green cloak next to Franklin. This is clearly Doctor Doom, who will be portrayed by Robert Downey Jr. in “Avengers: Doomsday.”
When Downey’s casting was first announced, there were worries about whether he could do justice to the iconic villain or if the casting was a mere cash grab. The mid-credits scene doesn’t give us an indication either way of how he’ll do in the part because he doesn’t say anything — we don’t even see his face, though we do see Doom’s iconic mask in his hand. The scene simply sets him up as the antagonist in the next “Avengers” movie, and, by the looks of it, his interest in Franklin may play a significant role. If Galactus wanted Franklin’s power, it only makes sense for Doom to want it, too.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps post-credits scene is just for fun
“The Fantastic Four: First Steps” also has a scene at the very end of the credits, but it doesn’t have anything to do with Doctor Doom or “Avengers: Doomsday.” Instead, it’s a fun, animated intro sequence for the “Fantastic Four” cartoon that exists in the team’s universe. It was referenced throughout in the movie, like when Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) tells someone he doesn’t actually say “It’s clobberin’ time” in real life and that it’s just from a cartoon. The best takeaway from this scene is that the cartoon’s theme song has a choir singing “Fantastic Four,” just like you hear in the score’s main theme that’s played throughout the film.
The post-credits scene is a fun treat for fans who stick around until the end of the credits, but it’s the Doctor Doom scene that’ll inevitably get people theorizing about the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Doctor Doom is clearly in play, but the question remains where he comes from. Is this the Victor von Doom of Earth-828, or is he visiting from another reality? Seeing as how “Avengers: Doomsday” and “Avengers: Secret Wars” will close out the Multiverse Saga, anything’s possible.
There’s also the matter of what he wants inside the Baxter Building, though he does seem interested in Franklin Richards, who has his hand outstretched toward the FF’s classic nemesis. Maybe Victor wants Franklin to heal his face, which is normally scarred in the comics. But while it would be a good excuse for Robert Downey Jr. to not wear any prosthetics for his portrayal of the villain if Franklin has already healed him, something tells us Victor is interested in a little more than a free cosmetic procedure.
“The Fantastic Four: First Steps” is in theaters now.