In The Fantastic Four: First Steps we’ll no doubt get to see Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, and The Thing show off their powers as they battle to defend Earth against the might of Galactus. But could we also see Franklin Richards get in on the action, too?
In an interview with Empire Magazine, Vanessa Kirby, who plays Sue Storm, dropped an interesting tease that’s set tongues wagging within the MCU fandom: “It’s not just adults that have superpowers.”
Kirby’s Storm is pregnant in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which means the MCU will introduce Franklin Richards at some point. This is a huge deal for the MCU, as IGN has explored. As we said in April:
Anyone familiar with the Fantastic Four comics will know that this is a big deal for the team. Marvel Studios is about to introduce arguably the most powerful mutant in existence. And maybe his super-genius sister for good measure? Let’s take a closer look at why Sue’s pregnancy has major implications for the MCU and the Marvel movie multiverse.
Franklin is easily one of the most powerful beings in the Marvel Universe. He has the ability to warp reality and matter at will, a power that even allows him to create entire pocket dimensions out of nothing. This power also manifests in other ways, giving Franklin everything from telepathy and telekinesis to the ability to project his consciousness across the astral plane.
Essentially, Franklin is the one being on Earth whose power is so great it rivals that of cosmic entities like the Celestials and Galactus. And he’s destined to only grow more powerful with age. The FF have met multiple adult versions of Franklin from the future, suggesting that he’ll one day grow to become an immortal defender of the entire Marvel Universe.
So, with this in mind, could Franklin be the one to fend off Galactus? Kirby’s comment certainly suggests we’ll see the character demonstrate his powers to some degree.
The cast of The Fantastic Four are of course set to star in next year’s Avengers: Doomsday alongside other established MCU characters. Perhaps Franklin will play a key role in the battle against Doctor Doom.
Earlier this week, we got a confirmed runtime for The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which is the longest MCU film since 2023’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Last week, we got our best look yet at the film’s version of Galactus, as played by Ralph Ineson, via a Snapple promo that leaked the character’s design. That followed a revealing Funko Pop! spoiler for The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at [email protected] or confidentially at [email protected].
