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6 Ways the Fantastic Four Could Be Integrated into the MCU

With the reports about Disney in talks to buy Fox and the rights to their properties, superhero fans are all excited at the prospect of the Fantastic Four back into Marvel hands. The Fantastic Four truly deserves a good movie that is true to its origins and the theme about family in their stories. This can also mean that the FF can come back to the comics as a whole team again (poor Torch and Thing) since Reed and Sue were wiped from existence basically due to Marvel and Fox arguing over the FF again. Here are six ways that the FF could be integrated into the MCU

6. Set their Origins in the Past

Thanks to the news about the Captain Marvel movie being set in the 1990s (well before Iron Man first appeared), the MCU Fantastic Four’s origins could happen say in the 1960s. They could reasonably have been working for SHIELD under Peggy Carter and Howard Stark. Or go with the classic story just much cooler. Setting it in the past will help viewers to understand why FF weren’t around say during the Invasion of New York or whatnot.  If Captain America was active during WWII and the original Ant-Man in the 1970s, then a superhero team in New York City in the 1960s isn’t a stretch.

5. Lost in an Other Dimension

The Fantastic Four tend to go dimensional-hopping, mostly thanks to Reed Richards’ experiments in one way or another.  This is sort of a bundle from number 6. If there’s a 1960s FF origin, what happened to them? Having them get lost into one of the many dimensions of the Marvel Universe, would not only connect them to Doctor Strange, but open the door to many new storylines. Wouldn’t it be cool if Doctor Strange or Thor or even Wakandan scientists stumble across them and bring them back to Earth?  Since Cap has already mostly adjusted to life in the 21st century, the whole FF family would be fish-out-of-water. SHIELD and the Avengers would definitely be interested in them and their powers.

4. U.S. Government Response to the Avengers (Post-CA:CW)

If the above routes aren’t good enough, the U.S. government in the MCU is not beyond experimentation on people to get superheroes. With the Avengers divided after Civil War and the Sokovia Accords in place, the U.S. government probably doesn’t want to rely on Tony Stark’s Avengers. Take scientist Reed Richards getting a government contract, and him asking his best friend Ben Grimm to help him, as well as his girlfriend/partner Sue Storm, only for teenage Johnny Storm to crash the experiment causing it to go awry. This also could be a way to introduce a proper Dr. Doom. Victor von Doom and Reed Richards are rivals so them fighting over a government contract would make sense. There are many ways this could go.

3. Alternate Timeline

Have the FF be from another timeline (see above), one that was destroyed perhaps, seeking refuge in on a similar Earth. This could also be a way to get the X-Men in the MCU as well. With the FF seeking refuge they could either run into Cap’s Avengers or get picked up by Tony’s Avengers or even crash land in Dr. Doom’s Latveria. An Alternate Timeline FF joining the MCU could be a great, but ultimately messy option. Look at what happens when Flash messes with timelines, after all.

2. Tony Stark Recruits Them as a R&D Team and then Accident

Reed is the smartest man in the Marvel Universe.  He’s a contemporary of the other great minds of Marvel–Tony Stark, Bruce Banner, Hank Pym (though Reed loves to tease Hank I found out), Dr. Doom and so forth.  Dr. Richards could be down on his luck in his research and Tony, knowing him from conferences and such, hires him as part of an R&D team in space exploration (or maybe Pepper does this, because you know, male ego). Ben Grimm, an ace pilot, and Sue Storm, head of that particular department of Stark’s company will be there. This would be the most direct way to integrate them into the MCU.

1. Result of the Thanos Getting the Infinity Stones

I know that I’m not alone in wanting to see what the result of Avengers: Infinity War will be. Thanos getting his hand on all Infinity Stones and using them would catastrophic. That movie could fundamentally change the MCU as we know it, giving rise to many more storytelling options–including ways to bring in characters that have been sorely missing from the MCU. If Disney buys Fox, the FF and the X-Men could very well be in the MCU before we know it. I mean, look what happened with our favorite Wall-Crawler.

What do you think? There are so many ways to bring the FF into the MCU, but these are my favorite ways. How would you want the FF to join the MCU? Or should they not? Let us know what you think. Sound off in the comments or send us your thoughts on Facebook or Twitter!

About the author

Dara Berkey

Superhero nerd. History nerd. Favorite personal hero--Shazam/The Original Captain Marvel. Favorite female hero--Any of the Batgirls. Favorite male hero, other than Shazam--Any of the Robins.