Speculation around just about every aspect of the upcoming MCU entry The Fantastic Four has kept fans digging through rumors and clues: Who will be the core cast? Who will play main villain Galactus? With confirmation on the former revealed by Marvel just this week, fans have latched onto the post, discovering right away that it may tell us when the movie is set. So, is The Fantastic Four going to take place in the 1960s?
There are a number of giveaways in Marvel’s cast reveal. For starters, the title font is of a retro style that fits with the 1960s aesthetic. But looking above that gives us even more details that could help zero in. Take, for example, the overall design of the room, whose carpeting and furniture immediately call to mind that decade. One of the biggest giveaways may be the magazine that super hero The Thing aka Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) is reading. While it lacks clear details, it is awfully similar to a December 1963 issue of Life magazine, which depicted then-president Lyndon B. Johnson at his White House desk.
While most clues on The Fantastic Four post do point to the 1960s, we should note that it does also appear to feature robot H.E.R.B.I.E., who wasn’t introduced until the late ‘70s. Does this suggest a little timeline-jumping? Or is it just a way to pay homage to a forgotten minor character? Either way, H.E.R.B.I.E.’s inclusion on the poster is a bit strange, as the character was intended to be a replacement for Johnny Storm / The Human Torch (Joseph Quinn)… who is right there in the living room with everybody…
But that might be a nitpick. Really, everything else points to The Fantastic Four taking place in the 1960s. Even Pedro Pascal, who is playing Reed Richards aka Mr. Fantastic, posted the image, adding #AllYouNeedIsLove, a nod to the 1967 song by the Beatles. And considering the comic debuted in 1961, it all just makes sense. We should also consider director Matt Shakman’s tease from last year in which he said, “It’s different in so many ways…I wish I could be specific. I wish I could say more. But we are doing things very differently from a story standpoint, from an approach to the filmmaking standpoint, that really fits the material.”
The core cast is rounded out by Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm aka Invisible Woman. The Fantastic Four arrives as part of the MCU’s Phase Six on July 25th, 2025.
Are you excited for The Fantastic Four to be set in the 1960s? What will it add to Marvel history? Will these characters be able to help fill the gap left by absent heroes like Iron Man, Black Widow, and the Steve Rogers version of Captain America? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
The Fantastic Four comic book was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1961.