In The Fantastic Four: First Steps, audiences will undoubtedly witness Mister Fantastic, the Invisible Woman, the Human Torch, and the Thing using their extraordinary abilities to protect Earth from Galactus. But could Franklin Richards also join the fight?
In an interview with Empire Magazine, Vanessa Kirby, portraying Sue Storm, teased a fascinating detail that has MCU fans buzzing: "Superpowers aren't exclusive to adults."
Kirby's Sue Storm is pregnant in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, meaning the MCU will eventually introduce Franklin Richards. This is a monumental development for the franchise, as IGN has previously noted. To quote our analysis from April:
Fans of the Fantastic Four comics understand the significance of this news. Marvel Studios is introducing arguably the most powerful mutant in existence, and potentially his super-genius sister, Valeria. Let's examine why Sue's pregnancy carries such major implications for the MCU and the broader Marvel multiverse.
Franklin is easily among the most powerful beings in the Marvel Universe. He possesses reality-warping and matter-manipulation abilities so profound he can create entire pocket dimensions from nothing. His powers also extend to telepathy, telekinesis, and astral projection.
In essence, Franklin's might is on par with cosmic entities like the Celestials and Galactus. He is destined to grow even stronger with age. The Fantastic Four have encountered multiple adult versions of Franklin from future timelines, hinting at his ultimate destiny as an immortal guardian of the universe.
Given this immense power, could Franklin be the key to defeating Galactus? Kirby's comment strongly implies we will see him manifest his abilities in some capacity.
The Fantastic Four cast is confirmed to appear in next year's Avengers: Doomsday alongside other MCU heroes. Perhaps Franklin will play a pivotal role in the conflict against Doctor Doom.
Earlier this week, the runtime for The Fantastic Four: First Steps was confirmed, making it the longest MCU film since 2023's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Last week, a leaked Snapple promo revealed our best look yet at Ralph Ineson's Galactus. This followed a spoiler-filled Funko Pop! leak for The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
