Marvel Eyes 2028 Release for 'Fantastic Four' Sequel

Marvel is allegedly preparing a sequel to The Fantastic Four: First Steps, even though the highly anticipated film is still over a month away from its release.

A Variety report reveals that an untitled Fantastic Four sequel is among several in-development Marvel projects without set dates, including Ryan Coogler's Black Panther 3 and the long-awaited Blade reboot.

News of a Fantastic Four follow-up comes after Disney announced this week that it has scheduled a fourth Marvel film for 2028, without specifying the title. Disney confirmed the mystery movie will debut on December 15, 2028, following three other Marvel releases already set for February, May, and November that same year.

Although Disney’s new Fantastic Four film has yet to premiere, it makes sense for Marvel to already be mapping out the team's future appearances. The studio appears confident that First Steps will resonate with audiences and has confirmed its cast will play key roles in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday.

It's also worth exploring which other Marvel titles might receive sequels, given the mixed reception of several recent MCU projects.

Eternals is already confirmed not to be getting a sequel anytime soon, and it's unlikely Marvel will rush to follow up on Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, The Marvels, or Captain America: Brave New World due to their underwhelming box office returns. Among Marvel’s recent successes, the Guardians of the Galaxy series is likely to pause, especially with director James Gunn’s departure.

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Fans have expressed strong interest in seeing more of Shang-Chi, though it will have been five years since his last MCU appearance when he returns in Avengers: Doomsday. Doctor Strange feels well-positioned for a new installment, yet his reality-bending adventures would have better fit the current multiverse saga now concluding.

Then there’s the question of Thor. His latest film was widely seen as disappointing, and Chris Hemsworth recently fueled speculation about stepping away from the role with an ambiguously worded message to fans.

So, of Marvel’s recent releases, a swift follow-up to The Fantastic Four: First Steps seems the most probable, assuming the film lives up to expectations. For now, Marvel’s schedule includes Spider-Man: Brand New Day on July 31, 2026, Avengers: Doomsday on December 18, 2026, and Avengers: Secret Wars on December 17, 2027.