Why FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS Doesn’t Address THUNDERBOLTS* Post-Credits Scene, According to The Director
Marvel fans like connecting the dots between MCU films, especially when those tantalizing post-credits scenes drop hints for what's next. So when Fantastic Four: First Steps landed in theaters and didn’t touch on the big reveal from Thunderbolts’ ending, fans were understandably wondering why.
There were a couple of times throughout the movie where I thought we would see the connection, but it never happened. Now, director Matt Shakman is offering a clear and honest explanation.
In a recent chat with CinemaBlend, Shakman explained why the Fantastic Four’s big screen return didn’t acknowledge the events teased at the end of Thunderbolts. The reason? He simply didn’t know about it when crafting his story. He said:
“No, no, no, because the Thunderbolts end credit scene was also created, you know, relatively late in my process too, so that was not something that I was familiar with because it hadn’t been created at the time that I was working on my script, you know?”
The Thunderbolts post-credits moment takes place over a year after the main events of that film, with the rebranded "New Avengers" and Bob discovering a strange extra-dimensional spacecraft in space… the Excelsior.
For many fans, this was the cinematic handshake between Thunderbolts and First Steps. But Shakman’s film, which released two months later, doesn’t make any mention of it.
Instead, First Steps has its own two post-credits scenes that focus more intimately on its central characters and tease future stories within its corner of the Marvel Universe.
The mid-credits scene shows Vanessa Kirby’s Sue Storm walking in on her son Franklin, who’s communicating with Victor von Doom.
Shakman emphasized how storytelling in the MCU is constantly evolving and likened it to a team sport. “It’s a relay race,” he said, explaining how he’s passed the baton to the Russo Brothers, who are set to direct Avengers: Doomsday.
So while First Steps may not connect the cosmic dots with Thunderbolts, it’s clear that those pieces are being laid across multiple films, and the real payoff is still on the way.