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Do I Need to Watch The Fantastic Four: First Steps Before Avengers: Doomsday?

Verdict: Yes, essential. The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025) launched Phase Six and introduces four of Doomsday's main characters. It is also where the MCU's Doctor Doom first shows up.

What it sets up

Marvel's First Family on Earth-828, a retro-futuristic 1960s world, their fight with Galactus and the Silver Surfer, and the birth of Franklin Richards, whose powers Galactus wanted. The mid-credits scene gives a first, faceless look at Doctor Doom, played by Robert Downey Jr., taking an interest in Franklin. The team's arrival in the main MCU universe comes in a different film: the post-credits scene of Thunderbolts*, where their ship enters the Earth-616 atmosphere.

What you'll miss if you skip it

Who the Fantastic Four are (this is their MCU debut, and the earlier Fox films don't count), how they work as a family, and why Doom might care about Reed, Sue and their son. Skipping it means walking into Doomsday not knowing four of its leads: Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach are all back.

The quick alternative

Watch it. It's a single film of just under two hours and the most important Phase Six release before Doomsday. The bare minimum: the Fantastic Four come from another universe, they saved their Earth from Galactus, and Doom has noticed them. For character background, see our Fantastic Four watch order and the Doctor Doom explainer. It streams on Disney+. All verdicts are in our prerequisite hub, and the complete prep list is in the Doomsday prep guide.

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