The Marvel Cinematic Universe has finally released the first trailer for The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and a hidden detail from within that footage may reveal how this new team will make their way to the MCU’s main universe. First Steps takes place in another universe, one where the titular heroes are celebrated and well-known. However, with the team set to appear in the cast of Avengers: Doomsday, it seems they must make it to Earth-616, the home of the MCU’s main Avengers, sooner than later.

Pulling from Marvel comics that date all the way back to 1961, the Fantastic Four characters are some of the most important in Marvel lore. Reed Richards in particular is one of the smartest people in the multiverse, which has led to some dark Fantastic Four theories in the MCU. However, it seems that Reed may have found a way for the team to travel to Earth-616, based on the appearance of a very telling clue from The Fantastic Four: First Steps trailer.

The Fantastic Four Are In Their Own Retro Universe In The MCU

The New Universe Pulls Its Style From The 1960s Fantastic Four Comics

As was first revealed in the posters, First Steps takes place in another universe that uses a retro-futuristic aesthetic. The outlook for the universe’s design seems to be taking the space age tone and feel of the 1960s, and extrapolating to develop it further over the decades since. Seeing this in the Fantastic Four trailer has helped viewers to understand this new world, and has generated further excitement about what it will be like to experience this new setting in the film.

The buildings and fashion of the movie appear very different to most of its MCU peers, and the color pallet is bright, with the team’s blue and white suits particularly standing out in this regard. H.E.R.B.I.E. has a chunky, retro build, and Ben Grimm – among with other men who have appeared in the marketing – dresses in a shirt and tie with a fedora. Tapping into a different unique style and allowing this universe to exist parallel to the MCU has allowed the filmmakers to be uniquely iterative and create a universe that feels both unique and familiar.

A Hidden Detail Reveals How The Fantastic Four Can Swap Universes

The Team Will Need To Make Their Way To Earth-616

While First Steps is set in another universe, it is important that the heroes of the film make their way to the MCU for the events of Avengers: Doomsday. A post on X from a sharp-eyed viewer revealed a moment from the trailer, where writing on a blackboard could suggest how the cast of The Fantastic Four could make their way to another universe. In the image, what appears to be a multiverse bridge has been theorized and designed, suggesting that discussions of other universes may be an important part of the new film.

Reed is working on a Multiverse Bridge in ‘THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS’. 👀 pic.twitter.com/Vyq2hhy3M3 — Fantastic Four Updates (@F4Update) February 4, 2025

It seems that Reed Richards is likely working on finding ways to connect various universes through his technology. As one of the smartest men in the world, and as an incredible scientist and inventor, having the hero create a bridge between universes makes a lot of sense. Notably, however, one comment on this post disagreed with this theory, sharing that “It’s not the multiverse…it’s an Einstein-Rosen bridge”. Still, while an Einstein-Rosen bridge is about folding space-time, this concept could still be easily used in explanations of the multiverse.

Whatever Reed Richards is building, it will surely be important to the unification of universes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While meta-knowledge has informed audiences that the Fantastic Four will appear in Avengers: Doomsday, thereby necessitating that the group make their way to the MCU, it also makes sense for the characters and their prospective futures in the franchise for their journey to the main Marvel universe to happen soon. Audiences are clearly already excited to see the cast of The Fantastic Four: First Steps interact with the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe, however this is set to occur.