When Does Fantastic Four: First Steps Takes Place in MCU? Timeline Explained

MCU’s timeline has become confusing lately, especially with Deadpool and X-Men entering the main continuity. Now, with Fantastic Four First Steps, Marvel is expected to set up Doomsday by introducing the audience to the Fantastic Four. From the trailers of the movie, the tech looks futuristic, but the overall vibe, the design choices, and even the characters’ outfits give off major retro energy. So, where exactly does the Fantastic Four First Steps take place? In this piece, I’m going to break down everything we know about the timeline of Fantastic Four: First Steps and help clear up the mystery.

Fantastic Four: First Steps MCU Timeline Explained

While the movie might look like it’s set in some hyper-futuristic world, the events of Fantastic Four: First Steps actually take place in an alternate version of the 1960s. Yep, you heard that right. This is not the Earth-616 timeline we’re used to in the mainline MCU. Instead, we’re stepping into a retro-futuristic era where the tech is years ahead of what existed in the real 1960s, wrapped in that classic, golden-age Marvel aesthetic.

The Fantastic Four First Steps drops us right into this stylized world, and while it might not go full deep-dive into their origin story, we’ll still get glimpses, key visual cues, and flashbacks that help us understand how Marvel’s first family came to be in this timeline.

The plot we have a clue of so far feels pretty straightforward, but let’s not forget, Marvel has built an entire reputation around misdirection. So, there’s a good chance Fantastic Four: First Steps might be holding back its real hand.

What’s adding more fuel to the speculation fire is the Thunderbolts post-credit scene, which has become the centerpiece of fan discussions lately. That scene hints at a possible defeat for the Fantastic Four by the end of this movie. But hey, this is Marvel we’re talking about; nothing is ever that simple. So instead of jumping to conclusions, let’s just wait for the movie to drop and see how it plays out.

If you are planning to watch Marvel movies in order, the latest Fantastic Four movie would be an independent movie, and you need to watch anything before you step into the theatre. Also, it has now been confirmed that the events of Fantastic Four First Steps will directly lead to Avengers Doomsday, which means, going forward, the latest Fantastic Four movie will serve as canon to upcoming Marvel movies.

Hopefully, we might get our first look at Robert Downey Jr.’s Doomsday in Fantastic Four: First World’s post-credit scene.