The Marvel Cinematic Universe Expansion
Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man joins forces with 2005's Fantastic Four to become one of Marvel Comics' unique teams in new Marvel Cinematic Universe fan art. While the Avengers have become a household name in the superhero genre and Hollywood, there was a time when the world only had Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, and X-Men movies on the big screen during the early 2000s prior to the MCU timeline.
Fantastic Four silhouettes in Marvel Comics
Thankfully, Marvel Studios is getting closer than ever to having all of those characters in the same world after years of spread-out character rights across different studios. While another Spider-Man film and a new Fantastic Four movie reboot are coming, some are still imagining potential returns of past versions of those characters.
The Fantastic Four team members stand side by side in Fantastic Four (1994)
Art of Time Travel shared new artwork imagining Maguire's Spider-Man teaming up with Ioan Gruffudd as Reed Richards, a.k.a. Mr. Fantastic, Jessica Alba as Sue Storm, a.k.a. Invisible Woman, and Michael Chiklis as Ben Grimm, a.k.a. the Thing, from the original Fantastic Four movies.
The Fantastic Four in a poster for the 2005 movie
Instagram article posted by artoftimetravel
The Future Foundation
While the white costumes may be new to general audience members, the artwork is actually a depiction of The Future Foundation, a team that was founded in July 2010. This is where Spider-Man actually ended up being a member as he worked together with the Fantastic Four heroes.
The Fantastic Four stand together in the woods in F4ntastic
The MCU Integration and Deadpool 3
Even though Marvel Studios is actively searching for its new Fantastic Four cast, the MCU audience may see the 2005 version of the team before the reboot happens in Phase 6. One of the films that is currently being shot is Deadpool 3, which will be the proper integration of Ryan Reynolds' Wade Wilson into the MCU. However, based on set photos from the production, the Deadpool 3 story may actually be finding a way to incorporate the original Fantastic Four films.
John Krasinski's Reed Richards speaks to Doctor Strange in Doctor Strange 2
While it hasn't been fully verified, elements of Fox's other Marvel movies seem to be making their way into Deadpool 3, likely as a way to get meta in addressing how Disney acquired 20th Century Fox. Jennifer Garner's Elektra is making a return, and some BTS photos have suggested that the old Fantastic Four franchise may or may not be getting referenced, perhaps to establish they were always in the same world as the X-Men. Based on that, it wouldn't be shocking if any of those Fantastic Four cast members were to have a cameo, regardless if they are in their own universe or the same continuity as Deadpool.
While Pedro Pascal has been reported by several trades to be eyed to play Reed Richards in the MCU, Marvel Studios haven't made a formal announcement yet.
Time will tell if the old Fantastic Four will be getting a nod in Deadpool 3 prior to the new version coming to life in the MCU. It would be genuinely fun if the old-school Fox-Marvel movies all had a proper send-off in Deadpool 3, which could be a fun way to also bring back Chris Evans' Johnny Storm. But for now, the MCU audience is going to have to wait and see what is coming for the Fantastic Four in live-action.
