THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS Post-Credits Scene Details Leak as Recent Test Screening
Marvel's The Fantastic Four: First Steps held a surprise test screening in Los Angeles recently and now, one of its post-credits scenes has reportedly leaked online.
It’s interesting that Marvel actually held an early test screening like this. Some fans believe Marvel might be worried about how this film will land—especially after Thunderbolts* didn’t exactly set the box office on fire, despite receiving some of the best reviews. Others believe it’s Kevin Feige trying to recalibrate the MCU and get a read on what fans actually want.
But regardless of the studio’s motive, one thing’s certain, if you hold a test screening on a big film like this, leaks were bound to happen. What we didn’t expect was this kind of leak, especially so far ahead of the film’s July 25 release.
According to industry scooper @MyTimeToShineH, the post-credits scene in question involves Sue Storm reading to her and Reed’s son, Franklin. She briefly leaves the room, and when she returns, Doctor Doom is sitting beside Franklin, mask in hand.
It’s explained that his face is never shown but both the costume and mask are described as “very comic accurate.”
Placing Doom in direct proximity to Franklin? That could mean big things. In the comics, Franklin Richards isn’t just any kid, he’s a reality-warping powerhouse. So if Doom’s already targeting him, it adds serious weight to the theory that the Fantastic Four didn’t just survive the collapse of their universe, they were pushed into action because of Franklin.
Doom kicking off the events that lead Marvel’s First Family to Earth-616 would be a smart way to tie this origin story directly into the bigger picture, namely Avengers: Doomsday.
The scooper also shared a tidbit about Chris Evans, who fans have speculated might appear in the movie as either Johnny Storm or a variant Steve Rogers:
“I know for a fact he filmed something so it was either cut or will be in the final version of the film."
So it sounds like the door isn’t entirely closed on a surprise Evans cameo, just maybe not in this version of the cut. And to be clear, this is only one of the post-credits scenes. Marvel has a history of making eleventh-hour changes, so even if this moment was in the screening, it might not survive the final edit.
Stay tuned, and maybe keep your expectations flexible. We’re in the multiverse here.