10 MCU Characters The Fantastic Four Could Meet In The 1960s

The titular team of Marvel Studios’ upcoming The Fantastic Four reboot could meet several iconic MCU characters if the project’s timeline theories turn out to be true. Marvel Studios confirmed the cast of Phase 6’s The Fantastic Four in February 2024, confirming Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm and Ben Grimm, respectively. This ended years of fan-casting and speculation surrounding the highly-anticipated reboot, but details of The Fantastic Four’s storyline have yet to be revealed, though Marvel Studios may have provided clues hinting at major story, character and timeline details.

As well as revealing the cast in a brilliant Valentine’s Day poster, Marvel Studios may have also teased a 1960s setting for The Fantastic Four. In the image, Ben Grimm’s Thing is seen reading a copy of LIFE Magazine from December 13, 1963, focusing on President Lyndon B. Johnson. This detail all but confirms The Fantastic Four’s 1960s setting, which means that the titular team could meet characters who were active in the MCU during this period. Projects such as Captain America: The First Avenger and Eternals have explored the MCU’s history, and The Fantastic Four could take this further.

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10 Peggy Carter Was A Key Figure In SHIELD In The 1960s

Hayley Atwell Debuted As Peggy Carter In Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

Hayley Atwell first appeared as Peggy Carter in 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger, and though she has more recently portrayed the Captain Carter variant of the character in Marvel Studios’ What If…?, her original hero had a major role in the MCU’s history. Carter was a founding member of SHIELD alongside Howard Stark and Chester Phillips in the 1950s, so worked for the global organization in the 1960s. It’s likely that the Fantastic Four will come across SHIELD in their MCU debut, so Atwell could return as the original version of Peggy Carter, developing her MCU backstory even further.

9 Hank Pym Could Have Trained Under Reed Richards in The 1960s

Michael Douglas Debuted As Hank Pym In Ant-Man (2015)

Hank Pym’s date of birth in the MCU is uncertain, though he was born at some point in the 1940s. This would make Michael Douglas’ Pym a young adult in the 1960s, so could perhaps have studied the work of Reed Richards, or could have even trained under the future Mister Fantastic. In Marvel Comics, Richards worked as a military scientist before becoming a superhero, and Hank Pym trained in the United States Army in the MCU, so there is precedence for them to have crossed paths. Richards training Pym would explain a great deal of the latter’s revolutionary discoveries.

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8 The Fantastic Four Could Explore Hank Pym & Janet Van Dyne’s Relationship

Michelle Pfeiffer Debuted As Janet Van Dyne In Ant-Man & The Wasp (2018)

Similarly to Hank Pym, not much is known about Janet Van Dyne’s backstory in the MCU. However, it is known that Van Dyne also worked as a scientist, and joined SHIELD at some point prior to her disappearance in the Quantum Realm in 1987. While it’s not known exactly when she and Pym met, it’s possible that this could have occurred during the 1960s while both were young scientists-in-training, so The Fantastic Four could perhaps explore the origins of their lifelong relationship. Perhaps the Fantastic Four were also investigating the mysterious Quantum Realm alongside Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne.

7 Howard Stark Can Return To The MCU In The Fantastic Four

John Slattery Debuted As Howard Stark In Iron Man 2 (2010) & Dominic Cooper Debuted As Howard Stark In Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

As one of the founding members of SHIELD, Howard Stark, the future Iron Man’s father, was a prominent character in the MCU from the 1940s until his death at the hands of the Winter Soldier in 1991. If the Fantastic Four come across SHIELD, Dominic Cooper, or perhaps even a de-aged John Slattery, could return, particularly after the 1970-set scenes in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame. This could cause some confusion, as Tony Stark spoke about how his father talked of Captain America, but never mentioned the Fantastic Four, but this could still connect Marvel’s First Family to the wider MCU perfectly.

6 Reed Richards & Anton Vanko May Not See Eye-To-Eye

Yevgeni Lazarev Debuted As Anton Vanko In Iron Man 2 (2010) & Costa Ronin Debuted As Anton Vanko In Agent Carter (2015)

Yevgeni Lazarev only made a brief appearance in 2010’s Iron Man 2 as Anton Vanko, a former Russian physicist who defected to the United States in 1963 and worked with SHIELD before betraying Howard Stark and Obadiah Stane. However, Costa Ronin portrayed a younger version of the character in Marvel Television’s Agent Carter series, so he could perhaps return for the 1960s-set The Fantastic Four. Anton Vanko worked for SHIELD between 1963 and 1967, so the timeline matches up perfectly, with The Fantastic Four providing the perfect opportunity for Vanko’s work with SHIELD to be explored in much more detail.

5 Agatha Harkness Is The Fantastic Four’s Nanny In Marvel Comics

Kathryn Hahn Debuted As Agatha Harkness In WandaVision (2021)

Born at some point in the 1670s, Kathryn Hahn’s Agatha Harkness could establish a clear connection to Marvel’s First Family in The Fantastic Four. Aside from being a friend and mentor to the Scarlet Witch in Marvel Comics, Agatha Harkness was also introduced as the governess to Franklin Richards, Reed Richards and Sue Storm’s son. It’s unclear whether Richards and Storm will have their children, Franklin and Valeria, in the MCU’s The Fantastic Four, but it’s very possible they’ll be introduced, and Harkness could be revealed to be their slightly-questionable nanny, years before she battles the Scarlet Witch in ​​​​​​​Westview.

4 The Fantastic Four Could Battle The Winter Soldier

Sebastian Stan Debuted As Bucky Barnes In Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

After appearing as Bucky Barnes, Steve Rogers’ best friend, in 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger, Sebastian Stan returned in 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier as the titular HYDRA-controlled villain. Barnes operated as the Winter Soldier from the 1940s until 2014, so it’s possible that the Fantastic Four could cross paths with this powerful foe in the 1960s. The Winter Soldier’s actions in the 1960s haven’t been shown on-screen, so The Fantastic Four in Phase 6 would provide the perfect opportunity for his backstory to be explored further, particularly after his return as a hero in 2025’s Thunderbolts​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ movie.

3 The Fantastic Four May Help Isaiah Bradley In The 1960s

Carl Lumbly Debuted As Isaiah Bradley In The Falcon & The Winter Soldier (2021)

In an effort to recreate Captain America in the wake of Steve Rogers’ apparent death, the United States government transformed Isaiah Bradley into a super soldier in the 1950s. Bradley fought the Winter Soldier during the 1950s, before being wrongfully imprisoned and experimented on following the Korean War. While this took place in 1953, it’s possible that flashbacks could include Isaiah Bradley as a version of Captain America in The Fantastic Four. Several of the Fantastic Four members fought in various wars prior to becoming superheroes, so it’s possible Ben Grimm or Reed Richards worked alongside Carl Lumbly’s Isaiah Bradley.

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2 Thor & Loki Played Pranks On Earth Long Before The Avengers

Chris Hemsworth & Tom Hiddleston Debuted As Thor & Loki, Respectively, In Thor (2011)

While Thor and Loki didn’t start regularly visiting Earth until 2011’s Thor, the Asgardian brothers visited Earth many times throughout history. Primarily, this was to play pranks and pay off bets, such as when Loki posed as D.B. Cooper in 1971. This means it’s possible that younger iterations of Chris Hemsworth’s Thor and Tom Hiddleston’s Loki may have visited Earth during the 1960s, and perhaps crossed paths with the Fantastic Four. However, neither Thor nor Loki have mentioned Marvel’s First Family, so this may be unlikely, but as some of the MCU’s most consistent characters, it’s very possible they’ll appear.

1 The Eternals Can Continue Their Story In The Fantastic Four

The MCU’s Eternals Debuted In Eternals (2021)

Marvel Studios’ Eternals expanded on the MCU’s history far more than any previous project, revealing that the titular Eternals team arrived on Earth roughly 7000 years ago. The Eternals integrated into human society in the 1520s, meaning they could have come into contact with the Fantastic Four in the 1960s, though perhaps may have instead remained hidden. Eternals was one of the MCU’s most divisive projects, so the Eternals need to return to redeem themselves and explain more about their complex story. This could potentially occur in Marvel Studios’ upcoming The Fantastic Four​​​​​​​, though the Eternals’ future hasn’t been confirmed.

Marvel’s Fantastic Four

Action

Adventure

Sci-Fi

Superhero

Marvel’s Fantastic Four is the first MCU movie to feature Marvel’s First Family in the same live-action universe as the Avengers. It introduces the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s version of Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Ben Grimm, and Johnny Storm, and precedes Phase 6’s Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars.

Release Date

July 25, 2025

Director

Matt Shakman

Cast

Pedro Pascal , Vanessa Kirby , Ebon Moss-Bachrach , Joseph Quinn

Studio(s)

Marvel Studios