This story discusses major plot developments, including the ending and post-credits scenes, in "The Fantastic Four: First Steps," currently playing in theaters. From the very first scene, the question of what will become of the child of Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal) and Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby) looms over "The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

In Marvel Comics, Doom’s fixation on Franklin is legendary. He views the boy’s near-limitless powers as the key to creating and ruling Battleworld, a twisted reality of his own making as seen in Secret Wars.

First Steps mostly focuses on its titular group, but Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, and the Thing aren’t the only heroes introduced in the film. One major player doesn’t get a superhero name,

That might sound like no big deal, but after 2023’s “The Marvels,” this spring’s fourth “Captain America” movie and “Thunderbolts*” all underperformed by Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) standards, the new “Fantastic Four” may offer broader audience appeal by not pulling from other franchises.

Though the Fantastic Four go to the very origins of Marvel Comics, their movie forays have been marked by missteps and disappointments.