Though Marvel’s First Family, the Fantastic Four, won’t appear in the MCU until Phase 6, it is possible that Marvel Studios has been hinting at their formation since Phase 1. Disney’s acquisition of Fox gave Marvel back the rights to their original superhero team, and the first appearance of a Fantastic Four member came with John Krasinski‘s portrayal of Reed Richards in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

The Negative Zone: A Significant Clue In The Avengers (2012)

The Negative Zone

A Reddit user, Silver_Telephone881, suggests that the 2012 film The Avengers contained subtle hints about the Fantastic Four’s future arrival. The film mentions iridium, a rare element that creates anti-protons, and the existence of anti-matter. In Marvel Comics, the Negative Zone is composed of anti-matter and is closely tied to the Fantastic Four.

The Fantastic Four’s Connection To The Negative Zone

Fantastic Four 

Reed Richards, a.k.a. Mister Fantastic, discovered the Negative Zone in Marvel Comics’ Fantastic Four #51 (1966). Richards created a portal to travel in and out of the pocket-reality, which was mainly used as a prison for the team’s enemies. The Negative Zone also contains threats such as Annihilus and Blastaar, two major foes of the Fantastic Four.

The MCU’s Phase 6 To Spotlight The Negative Zone

F4 In The Negative Zone

Though the Negative Zone has been hinted at in previous MCU projects, it has never been explicitly mentioned. However, with the release of the Fantastic Four in 2025, Phase 6 is expected to bring the Negative Zone into focus. This would follow the trend of other Marvel Studios projects that explore otherworldly dimensions, such as the Ant-Man franchise’s Quantum Realm, Doctor Strange’s Mirror Dimension, and Ms. Marvel’s Noor Dimension. The introduction of the Negative Zone in Fantastic Four could help to pay off early teases and establish Marvel’s First Family on a strong foundation.