THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS May Set Up Six Classic Villains in the MCU
I’m excited to see The Fantastic Four: First Steps finally bring Marvel’s First Family into the MCU, but it might also be opening the door for a whole rogues' gallery of classic villains straight out of the 1960s comic pages.
A new rumor from industry insider @MyTimeToShineH suggests that the film won’t stop at Galactus. While Ralph Ineson’s world-devouring baddie has already been confirmed, the film reportedly name-drops six more villains during its runtime, many of them core adversaries from the early Fantastic Four comics.
“Fantastic Four: First Steps starts with: Puppet Master, Mad Thinker, Diablo, Red Ghost, Wizard all get name-dropped,” @MyTimeToShineH posted on X. “They wear the original comic costumes to fight Mole Man’s monster. Black and blue.”
According to the same report, The Fantastic Four team “wear the original comic costumes to fight Mole Man’s monster. Black and blue.” Mole Man is played by Paul Walter Hauser, and his role as Harvey Elder was confirmed through Marvel’s first tie-in comic for the film, cementing the subterranean villain's place in the story.
These villain names will be quick nods rather than full appearances, but each one has roots in the Stan Lee and Jack Kirby era of comics that helped shape Marvel's storytelling DNA. All six debuted in the 1960s, the same decade The Fantastic Four draws inspiration from for its retro-futuristic version of Earth.
The movie embraces the spirit of Silver Age sci-fi, with stylized tech and optimistic greatness, and it seems like the characters will reflect that tone as well. This throwback style fits with what Marvel is aiming for in this new corner of the MCU, something classic, colorful, and fresh all at once.
And of course, it all sets the stage for Galactus himself, who first appeared in Fantastic Four #48 back in 1966. With all these villains being referenced, Marvel is looking to build a foundation for the Fantastic Four. Maybe these are are villains that they battled in the past?
The Fantastic Four: First Steps hits U.S. theaters on July 25, 2025.