Fantastic Four: Fan Spots Possible Clue To The Exact Year The Film Takes Place In

Highlights

• The cast announcement for the Fantastic Four MCU film suggests that it may be set in the 1960s, according to clues spotted by eagle-eyed fans.
• Many fans have desired a period piece for the Fantastic Four reboot, believing it would best represent the characters as products of their time.
• If the film is indeed set in the 1960s, there could be potential for time-travel storylines, as Marvel Studios’ boss Kevin Feige has stated that the Fantastic Four will play a pivotal role in the MCU’s future.

The Fantastic Four MCU cast announcement may contain a clue about the exact year the Marvel Studios film is set.

The Fantastic Four MCU cast was announced in a Valentine’s Day photo featuring animated versions of Pedro Pascal as Mr. Fantastic/Reed Richards, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/Human Torch, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing. The image gave fans the impression the Fantastic Four reboot would be set in the ‘60s, but eagle-eyed fans have spotted a potential clue revealing the precise year.

In the Fantastic Four cast photo, Moss-Bachrach’s The Thing sits in a chair and reads a magazine. While few details are animated into the magazine, there are enough visual similarities between the fictional cover and a real-world Life Magazine cover featuring United States President Lyndon B. Johnson. As noted by several fans, including Reddit user coolmandragon, the Life issue in question is dated December 13, 1963, potentially meaning Marvel Studios’ Fantastic Four is set in the same year.

While Marvel Studios has not confirmed any Fantastic Four plot details, the 1963 setting would align with fan wishes for the project to be a period piece. Many fans have long claimed the Fantastic Four are products of their time, arguably more so than other Marvel characters, and that a feature film starring the team would be best served by being set in the ’60s. Ant-Man director Peyton Reed’s Fantastic Four project, which was developed when the film rights were at Fox, was going to be set during this period. However, Fox ultimately passed on Reed’s pitch and instead moved forward with a 2005 Fantastic Four movie directed by Tim Story. Although the movie had a sequel, both failed with audiences. Fox later attempted a Fantastic Four reboot in 2015, which was even more poorly received.

Consequently, fans clamored for a proper Fantastic Four movie and rejoiced when Disney acquired 20th Century Fox, placing the film right to the team in Marvel Studios’ hands. Like Reed, many fans believed Marvel Studios‘ Fantastic Four reboot should be a period piece set in the ’60s. Some even proposed having the characters travel through a wormhole at the end of the Fantastic Four so the characters could catch up with the modern MCU timeline in subsequent movies. If these eagle-eyed fans are correct about the 1963 setting, these time-travel theories could be accurate, as Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige has already said the Fantastic Four play a pivotal role in the MCU’s future, suggesting that if the reboot is set in the ’60s, the characters won’t stay there for long.

Of course, this is all speculation. Marvel Studios’ Fantastic Four cast announcement is the project’s most significant update in some time, and story details will likely remain elusive for the foreseeable future. Still, the evidence is hard to ignore, and fans are probably thrilled to see at least one wish for The Fantastic Four granted when they make their MCU debut.

The Fantastic Four is scheduled to be released in theaters on July 25, 2025.

Source: coolmandragon/Reddit