Pedro Pascal is the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, but he is not the new leader of the Avengers. At least that’s what the actor says… for now.

The new "Fantastic Four" is now in theaters and earning stellar reviews. Here's when the Marvel hit will likely stream on Disney+ and digital, so you can watch it at home.

First Steps director Matt Shakman was discreet when questioned about Robert Downey Jr.’s role in the post-credits scene, choosing not to reveal any details and leaving the discussion to fans.

“He goes from being the nerdy scientist who’s locked away in the lab, to the husband and the father who’d do anything to protect his family, to the guy who’s leading the Avengers. I realized that the version we were building had to have all of those elements.”

Matt Shakman has given a blunt response to anyone who's reacted negatively to The Fantastic Four: First Steps ' visual effects (VFX).

First Steps director Matt Shakman addresses a big Sue Storm moment in the movie's final act and reveals original plans for Franklin Richards' Marvel Cinematic Universe's introduction.

Speaking of connections… During one of my recent fits of insomnia, I discovered a strange factoid that connects The Fantastic Four: First Steps with Saved by the Bell, at least an early version of the popular high school-centric sitcom many of us grew up watching. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since, and I have to talk it out.

First Steps director Matt Shakman has reiterated that the movie is a standalone story that doesn't require any homework on Marvel fans' part. Speaking to TechRadar, Shakman says the forthcoming film isn't beholden to the same connective tissue that other Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) projects are because it exists in a parallel dimension.

During the end credits of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, there is also another tribute, simply reading "For Inez Shakman". Inez Shakman is the mother of director Matt Shakman. She sadly passed away on April 3, 2025 at the age of 80.