These 10 Fantastic Four Storylines Won’t Be In The MCU

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Following the successful launch of The Fantastic Four, fans are eager to see where the story goes for Marvel’s first family in future films. There are many potential storylines that could make for a great sequel to Fantastic Four: First Steps and fit well within the broader Marvel Cinematic Universe, while others simply wouldn’t be a good fit.

Some storylines from the Fantastic Four comics are unlikely to appear in Marvel Studios’ films, either because they clash with existing Marvel Cinematic Universe details or are too sensitive for a wider audience. While a very loose interpretation might be possible, these moments would likely be significantly altered. Fortunately, many of the best Fantastic Four stories are still accessible and enjoyable.

During the first superhero Civil War, Reed Richards built Prison 42, a high-security prison located in the Negative Zone. Team Iron Man intended to imprison Captain America and his allies there. This act is considered a low point for Reed in the comics, as it forced him to betray his own values and treat his friends like criminals.

Pedro Pascal doesn’t need to worry about this story impacting his heroic image in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, because it won’t be part of it. The timing just doesn’t work – the Fantastic Four joined the MCU too late for this particular storyline to make sense. The first superhero Civil War already occurred years ago, and the characters involved used a different facility, called the Raft.

In 1963, the Fantastic Four visited Ancient Egypt in issue #19. There, they met Rama-Tut, who enslaved the team and tried to marry Sue Storm. It turned out this Pharaoh was actually a villain from the 30th century who traveled through time, and the Fantastic Four narrowly managed to escape him.

This story arc faces major challenges within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Not only has the controversy surrounding Jonathan Majors significantly complicated the future of his character, Kang the Conqueror, but the storyline itself contains problematic elements of racism and sexism. Marvel Studios will need to carefully address these issues if they want to successfully move forward with it.

Sue and Reed’s relationship is a cornerstone of the Marvel Universe, though it hasn’t always been smooth sailing. Before Reed proposed, Sue attempted to make him jealous by going on a date with Spider-Man, but it didn’t have the desired effect. Instead of Reed noticing, it was Namor who reacted, while Reed remained largely oblivious.

This plotline is considered one of the strangest in Fantastic Four comics and is unlikely to appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In the films, Sue Storm and Peter Griffin are at very different stages in their lives, making any romantic pairing between them, even as a joke, feel out of place.

Reed and Victor instantly connected as intellectual peers, but this quickly turned into a competitive rivalry. They were able to share ideas no one else grasped, yet struggled with each other because neither had ever encountered someone of equal intelligence. This clash of egos ultimately led to bitterness, culminating in Victor’s disfigurement. Their ongoing rivalry forms a core part of the Fantastic Four’s story, particularly involving Doctor Doom.

It’s likely the Marvel Cinematic Universe won’t delve into the established backstory between Reed Richards and Doctor Doom, much to the disappointment of many fans. While Robert Downey Jr.’s portrayal of Iron Man will still have an impact on Doom’s character, the upcoming Fantastic Four: First Steps movie focuses on the team’s present, rather than their history. According to insider MyTimeToShineHello, this means Doom and the Fantastic Four won’t share a pre-existing rivalry like they do in the comic books.

The Marvel Ultimate Universe was known for its shocking storylines, and the Fantastic Four were often at the center of them. One particularly strange example occurs in Ultimate FF. After talking with Spider-Ham, Sue Storm becomes convinced that a child combining her and Reed Richards’ DNA is the key to saving the universe. However, she deeply dislikes the Ultimate version of Reed, leading her to a drastic plan: she attempts to kidnap and artificially inseminate herself with his sperm. When that fails, she ultimately decides to use a sample from Ben Grimm instead.

This story significantly deviates from established Fantastic Four lore. Furthermore, it glosses over a deeply troubling instance of sexual assault, despite Sue’s focused determination. It’s a plot point so problematic that even an alternate-universe story like What If…? wouldn’t explore it, and it would create a major public relations crisis for Marvel Studios, even in an R-rated movie.

When Ben Grimm, also known as the Thing, was off-world on Battleworld in the 1980s, Johnny Storm did something shocking: he started a relationship with Alicia Masters, who was deeply loved by Ben. They even got engaged! But when Ben returned to Earth, it caused a major rift within the Fantastic Four, and it was a really difficult time for the team.

Marvel Studios hasn’t brought the character Alicia Masters into the Marvel Cinematic Universe yet. Instead, Rachel Rozman appears to be developing a romantic connection with Ben Grimm. However, this new storyline doesn’t quite fit with the emphasis on family that Marvel is building for the Fantastic Four. In fact, both the MCU and Marvel Comics seem to be avoiding this plotline. The original story was essentially rewritten – it was revealed that the character initially presented as Alicia Masters was actually a Skrull, which helped preserve the bond between Ben and Johnny Storm.

John Byrne’s run on Fantastic Four featured a dark twist on Sue Storm, the Invisible Woman. She developed an evil alter-ego after being brainwashed by the villains Psycho-Man and Hate Monger, who amplified her negative feelings. As this darker version of herself, Sue recklessly used her powers, nearly harming her teammates. Reed Richards, Mister Fantastic, managed to break her out of the mind control by shockingly insulting and slapping her, a moment that proved very controversial among readers.

Many fans are eager to see Malice appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Vanessa Kirby herself has expressed her fondness for the character. However, viewers don’t want a repeat of her problematic introduction. It seems unbelievable that a brilliant character like Reed Richards couldn’t have found a more humane way to break her out of her mind control than resorting to verbal and physical abuse.

The character first appeared in 1963 in Fantastic Four as a villain who gains power by spreading hatred. He uses a ‘Hate Ray’ to make others feel animosity, which in turn makes him stronger. This villain was created as a symbolic representation of prejudice, and the Fantastic Four fight him as heroes upholding moral principles. He’s depicted very obviously as a bigot – wearing a costume resembling a Ku Klux Klan robe, expressing hatred towards minority groups, and being a clone of Adolf Hitler.

Some older comic book characters wouldn’t resonate with today’s audiences, and that’s the case with the villain Hate-Monger. While originally conceived as a stand-in for Hitler, using such a figure—especially with imagery like a Ku Klux Klan outfit—would be considered insensitive and inappropriate for a large franchise like the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Because of this, Hate-Monger is unlikely to ever appear in the MCU, meaning the Fantastic Four will need to choose a different villain for any potential sequel to their introductory film.

The love triangle involving Sue Storm, Reed Richards, and Namor has long been a point of contention among Marvel fans. Many readers adore Sue and Reed’s relationship, so any suggestion of trouble between them is often unwelcome. The issue is further complicated by moments where Namor’s advances toward Sue feel inappropriate. Luckily, it seems this storyline won’t be appearing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Sue and Reed already have a strong, loving relationship in Fantastic Four: First Steps. While the comic book version of Reed can be emotionally distant, Pedro Pascal’s portrayal shows him being more attuned to Sue’s feelings, making Namor’s advances towards her seem out of place. However, the movie gives Namor a more personal reason to dislike people from the surface world. Tenoch Huerta’s Namor would never even consider a connection with someone he sees as a colonizer.

In 2024, while writing the Fantastic Four comic, Ryan North featured a dramatic romance for Johnny Storm (the Human Torch). When Doctor Doom accidentally merged an alternate Earth (Earth-42173) with the main one (Earth-616), the Fantastic Four tried to undo the damage. During this crisis, Johnny fell in love with an alien named Angelica of the Shore, and she loved him back. However, the only way to save both universes was to keep them apart, forcing the couple to separate.

This could be a fantastic love story in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but there’s one big problem: Angelica isn’t human. She’s an insect-like alien, designed after ancient creatures – imagine a giant insect mixed with a reptile. While her connection with Johnny Storm is sweet, most fans would likely struggle with seeing her in a romantic way with the Human Torch, meaning Marvel Studios will probably never explore this storyline.

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2026-02-28 22:13