Why 'Thunderbolts' End Credits Scene Doesn't Line Up With The End Of 'Fantastic Four: First Steps'

The post-credits scene in Thunderbolts provides fans with some big revelations about the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It's not only said that there are two different Avengers teams (the groups in conflict over the moniker), but the final moment revealed the arrival of the Fantastic Four into the universe via rocket ship. It was particularly cool to see the latter play out when the blockbuster arrived in theaters last May, the glimpse serving as a fun cliffhanger... but those of you who saw Fantastic Four: First Steps this past weekend may have noticed that the new release doesn't make any kind of effort to link up with its MCU predecessor.

So why doesn't the end of Fantastic Four: First Steps line up with the end of Thunderbolts* as the franchise builds to the release of the epic Avengers: Doomsday in December 2026? CinemaBlend's own Jeff McCobb recently broached that subject in an interview with director Matt Shakman during the Los Angeles press day for the new 2025 movie, and the filmmaker gave an honest answer: he couldn't connect the end of his movie to the end of the blockbuster also known as The New Avengers because that movie's end credit scene didn't exist when the script was being written.