There’s something uniquely satisfying about the post-credits scene — that final reward for sitting through the names. For Marvel fans, Fantastic Four: First Steps delivers two of them, and they’re not just Easter eggs.

4 related posts

Number of post-credits scenes: 2 ·
First scene location: Mid-credits ·
Second scene location: After full credits ·
First scene features: Doctor Doom and Franklin Richards ·
Second scene style: Cartoon version of cast ·
Movie release date: July 25, 2025

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • The exact reproductive mechanism of Galactus’s species
  • Whether the cartoon scene hints at a future animated series or is just a gag
  • The full extent of Doctor Doom’s plans revealed in the mid-credits scene
  • How the scenes connect to the broader MCU Phase 5/6 story
3Timeline signal
  • July 25, 2025: Fantastic Four: First Steps premieres (Decider)
  • ~2029 (four years after film): Mid-credits scene with Doctor Doom and Franklin (Looper)
  • Post-credits: Cartoon scene closes the film humorously (Nerdist)
4What’s next
  • Doctor Doom’s interest in Franklin Richards sets up Avengers: Doomsday (2026) (Variety)
  • Galactus’s defeat but possible return via Franklin’s powers (Variety)
  • Earth-828’s integration into the main MCU timeline (Variety)

Here’s a quick reference of the key facts.

Key facts at a glance
Movie Fantastic Four: First Steps
Release date July 25, 2025
Post-credits scenes 2
First scene time Mid-credits
First scene characters Doctor Doom, Franklin Richards, Sue Storm
Second scene content Animated cartoon of the cast
Key plot hook Galactus’s interest in Franklin Richards

Does “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” Have Post-Credits Scenes?

Confirmation of post-credits scenes

  • Fantastic Four: First Steps includes two post-credits scenes, confirmed by multiple outlets that attended early screenings (Looper, Variety).
  • This places it in line with nearly every MCU film since Iron Man (2008), which established the tradition of rewarding patient viewers.

Number of scenes and their placement

  • One scene appears midway through the credits (mid-credits), and the second plays after the full credits have rolled (Nerdist).
  • The mid-credits scene is the one that advances the story; the post-credits scene is purely for fun.
The pattern

Marvel has used the mid-credits slot for plot teases since Captain America: The First Avenger. Here, the mid-credits scene carries the weight of setting up the next Avengers-level threat, while the final scene is a lighter call back to the team’s comic origins.

This dual-scene approach keeps fans engaged through the credits.

How Many Post-Credits Scenes Are in Fantastic Four: First Steps?

Exact count: two scenes

  • The film contains exactly two post-credits sequences (People (celebrity and entertainment magazine)).
  • This matches the typical MCU pattern for non-team-up films; Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Thor: Love and Thunder also had two each.

Mid-credits vs. post-credits distinction

  • The first scene occurs at roughly the halfway point of the credits sequence.
  • The second scene begins only after the final credit has scrolled.
  • The runtime of the credits is approximately 8 minutes, so bookmark your patience accordingly.
What to watch

If time is tight, you can leave after the mid-credits scene and miss only the cartoon coda — but you’ll forfeit a charming easter egg that dedicated fans will be talking about.

Marvel’s placement strategy rewards viewers who stay.

What Happens in the First Post-Credits Scene?

Setting: four years after the main events

  • The mid-credits scene jumps forward four years from the film’s main timeline, placing it roughly in 2029 (Decider).
  • In the Baxter Building, Sue Storm is reading The Very Hungry Caterpillar to Franklin, now five years old (Variety).

Characters: Doctor Doom and Franklin Richards

  • Sue senses a cloaked figure approaching. It is Doctor Doom, though his face is never shown (ScreenRant (fan-focused analysis)).
  • Doom speaks to Franklin directly, hinting at a deep interest in the boy’s powers (Polygon (gaming and pop-culture site)).
  • Multiple reports describe this scene as explicitly setting up Doom’s interest in Franklin rather than Galactus (Looper).

“the first credit scene cuts to four years after the events of the movie, with Sue reading to Franklin who is now five years old.”

— Digital Spy (entertainment news)

Dialogue implications

  • Doom’s words suggest he sees Franklin as a key to something larger — possibly to counter Galactus or to reshape reality itself.
  • The scene ends without a fight, leaving the viewer with a tense silence and a clear sense that Doom is now a player in the Richards family’s life.

The implication: Doctor Doom is not just a rival to Reed Richards; he is after what Franklin represents — the ability to warp reality at will. That makes the mid-credits scene less a sequel hook and more a warning about a power struggle that could dwarf the Galactus conflict.

What Happens in the Second Post-Credits Scene?

Content: cartoon version of the cast

  • The second scene is a short animated sequence depicting the Fantastic Four as cartoon characters, reminiscent of the 1967 Hanna-Barbera style (Nerdist).
  • It appears on a television screen within the movie’s world — a diegetic element that reinforces the film’s retro-futuristic setting.

Tone: humorous coda

  • This scene is primarily for fun and does not advance the plot. As noted by CNET (tech and entertainment review), “you’ll catch the cast depicted as cartoon characters on a TV.”
  • It serves as a loving tribute to the team’s animated history, especially the 1967 series.

“Fantastic Four: First Steps features two post-credit scenes: one about the future of the MCU, and the other for fun.”

— Esquire (men’s lifestyle and culture)

The catch: While it doesn’t move the story forward, the cartoon coda reinforces the film’s nostalgic charm and gives audiences a second reason to stay seated — a crowd-pleaser for long-time readers.

Why Does Galactus Want Franklin Richards?

Franklin’s reality-warping powers

  • Franklin Richards is introduced in the film as a mutant child with the ability to alter reality — a power that comics readers know as potentially cosmic in scale (Polygon).
  • In the film’s climax, Franklin revives Sue Storm after her apparent death by using his powers, demonstrating that his abilities are already active (People).
  • Galactus — played by Ralph Ineson (Decider) — is defeated but his interest in Franklin is established earlier in the narrative.

Galactus’s need for a new herald or sustenance

  • In the comics, Galactus consumes planets rich in life energy. Franklin, as a reality warper, could either sustain Galactus indefinitely or serve as a perfect herald.
  • The film leaves this ambiguous, but the mid-credits scene shifts attention to Doom as the immediate threat, suggesting Galactus may return as a secondary antagonist.
Why this matters

Franklin Richards is not just a child in danger — he’s a weapon. Both Galactus and Doom want him, and the MCU’s next phase may be defined by who gets there first. For viewers, that means Fantastic Four: First Steps is not just a standalone origin story; it’s the seed for a multiverse-scale power struggle.

This power struggle will define the MCU’s next major arc.

Timeline: How the Post-Credits Scenes Fit Into the MCU

Bottom line: The mid-credits scene jumps four years ahead, placing Doom’s approach to Franklin after the main Galactus arc. The cartoon coda is a self-contained joke. Together, they signal that Earth-828 is now connected to the main MCU timeline.
  • 2024 (Thunderbolts* post-credits): A teaser hints at the Fantastic Four’s imminent arrival in the MCU.
  • July 25, 2025: Fantastic Four: First Steps premieres. Main story: the team defeats Galactus on Earth-828. Sue gives birth to Franklin before the climax (People).
  • ~2029 (four years after film): Mid-credits scene: Doom approaches Franklin in the Baxter Building.
  • Post-credits: Cartoon scene serves as a lighthearted end credit.

These timeline points set the stage for Avengers: Doomsday.

Confirmed vs. Unclear: Separating Fact from Speculation

Confirmed facts

  • There are two post-credits scenes in Fantastic Four: First Steps (Decider).
  • The first scene is a mid-credits scene featuring Doctor Doom and Franklin Richards (Variety).
  • The second scene is a cartoon of the cast (Nerdist).
  • Galactus desires Franklin Richards due to his reality-warping powers (Polygon).

What’s unclear

  • The exact reproductive mechanism of Galactus’s species.
  • Whether the cartoon scene hints at a future animated project or is just a gag.
  • The full extent of Doctor Doom’s plans revealed in the mid-credits scene.
  • How the Fantastic Four’s post-credits scenes connect to the broader MCU Phase 5/6 story.

While the confirmed facts are solid, the unclear points leave room for fan speculation.

Related reading: **Lucy Shimmers and the Prince of Peace: Ending & Plot Explained**

Additional sources

reddit.com, cosmicbook.news, youtube.com, youtube.com, reddit.com

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Frequently asked questions

How long do I need to stay in the theater for the post-credits scenes?

The credits run about 8 minutes. The mid-credits scene appears at roughly 4 minutes, and the final cartoon scene starts after the full credits—so budget at least 10 minutes post-film.

Are the post-credits scenes essential for understanding the MCU?

The mid-credits scene is significant: it introduces Doctor Doom’s interest in Franklin Richards and sets up Avengers: Doomsday. The cartoon scene is not essential but offers a fun easter egg.

Does the Fantastic Four: First Steps post-credits scene connect to Avengers: Doomsday?

Yes. Multiple sources interpret the Doom scene as direct foreshadowing of Avengers: Doomsday (2026), with Doom likely being the main antagonist (Variety).

What is the runtime of the credits?

The end credits sequence is approximately 8 minutes long.

Is there a scene after the credits of the 2005 Fantastic Four movie?

The 2005 film had no post-credits scene. The 2015 reboot also had none. Fantastic Four: First Steps is the first FF film to include post-credits content.

Will there be a third post-credits scene in future releases?

Marvel has occasionally used three scenes (Avengers: Endgame had one, but earlier films like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 had five). No official word on future counts, but two is the current standard for standalone MCU films.

How do the post-credits scenes compare to other MCU movies?

They follow the familiar pattern: one serious plot hook (Doom/Franklin) and one comedic bit (cartoon). Similar to Ant-Man and the Wasp (serious + joke) and Captain Marvel (cat scene + Avengers setup).

Should I watch the film in IMAX for the best post-credits experience?

The post-credits scenes don’t have special IMAX formatting. Any format works fine, though the cartoon coda may look crisper on a larger screen.

For Marvel Studios, the Fantastic Four: First Steps post-credits scenes are a carefully calibrated bridge between the family-driven story of Earth-828 and the multiverse-spanning conflict of Avengers: Doomsday. The choice for viewers is clear: stay through every credit and witness the birth of the MCU’s next major arc, or skip out early and miss the moment Doctor Doom finally steps into the light.