Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy Replacement Is Poised To Take On James Gunn

Summary The Fantastic Four will be Marvel's new flagship team post-Guardians, bringing a unique cosmic aesthetic to the MCU.

Both Fantastic Four and Guardians crafted distinct universes, setting a stage for new superhero teams and standalone stories.

James Gunn's absence leaves a void, but Fantastic Four aims to replicate the success of Guardians with its multiversal story.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is set to introduce a new team to fill the hole left behind in the universe after Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Following the ending of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, there are fewer flagship teams left in the MCU. While a new team of Guardians is assembled from some of the other members at that film's end, there are no concrete plans to use them anywhere. While new Avengers films are certainly happening, there isn’t currently a team. As a result, the universe appears to need new ensembles.

James Gunn was an impactful force at Marvel, with much of the universe's tone finding its origins with his enormous hit Guardians of the Galaxy, and is now at DC Studios putting together an entirely new universe. Given Gunn's absence, making a Guardians of the Galaxy 4 movie that feels akin to his previous trilogy would be difficult, especially so soon after the ending of the original trilogy. However, there is a great deal that the Guardians trilogy did for the MCU timeline that the franchise is now set to look at replicating with a new team.

Related Recasting The Guardians Of The Galaxy Cast In 10 Perfect DCU Roles Several Guardians of the Galaxy actors have expressed an interest in joining James Gunn's DCU. Here are some perfect DCU recasting ideas.

The Fantastic Four Are Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy Replacement

The Film Is Marvel's First Step Into A New Universe

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The Fantastic Four: First Steps movie looks to fill the hole that the Guardians of the Galaxy films left behind. There are several comparisons that can be made here, with the first and most obvious being that both are ensemble films that set up new superhero teams.

While Mr. Fantastic and the Human Torch are certainly not as obtuse as Groot and Rocket Raccoon, both films look to embody a distinct, cosmic aesthetic that feels separate and standalone from the MCU. The new Fantastic Four footage showed an incredible retro-futurist look at the universe that those heroes inhabit, which has direct parallels to the futuristic and yet often worn-down and much repaired ships and gear that the Guardians can often be found with.

Following that line, both will be established distant from the Earth of the MCU. Guardians of the Galaxy inhabited their own space before joining the team in two Avengers movies directed by the Russos, and the same will be true of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, with the movie appearing to be both set at a point before the current timeline, and set in another universe.

In addition, it's worth noting that the Guardians of the Galaxy movies did some work setting up Thanos for the MCU and fleshing out what his story looked like for the franchise. With new rumors suggesting The Fantastic Four will introduce Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom, who is poised to be the main threat for the Avengers films, it seems the upcoming Marvel movie could also mirror this aspect of the trilogy, bringing the two series even closer together.

The Fantastic Four Goes Up Against James Gunn's Superman In 2025

Jurassic World 4 And The Naked Gun Also Release That Month

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Superman will release on July 11th, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps will follow two weeks later on July 25. The two are set to be among the biggest superhero films of summer 2025, along with Thunderbolts* in May. Other summer 2025 films will include a new Jurassic World sequel and the follow-up to Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1. Amidst a packed summer full of big, bombastic films, it will be exciting to see which of the two films performs better in July 2025 and beyond, as both have incredible box office potential but also some uncertainty.

Superman will be launching an entirely new universe, and there is a great deal of baggage attached to that. The DCEU collapsed in its final years, leaving the first stage of this new DC cinematic universe a particularly crucial one.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps, meanwhile, will also pave a new path for the MCU, potentially adding its own new universe to the world. Following some ups and downs with the brand over the past few years, it remains to be seen if audiences will turn out for a new Marvel superhero property like they did for Captain Marvel, or if the result will be a disappointing one.

Superman (2025) Written and directed by James Gunn, Superman is the first movie in Warner Bros.' rebooted DC Universe to center around the titular comic book hero. It introduces a new version of the Man of Steel after Henry Cavill's departure from the role, honoring the character's roots as "the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way." Director James Gunn Release Date July 11, 2025 Cast David Corenswet , Rachel Brosnahan , María Gabriela De Faría , Edi Gathegi , Nicholas Hoult , Frank Grillo , Nathan Fillion Milly Alcock , Sara Sampaio , Pruitt Taylor Vince , Skyler Gisondo , Anthony Carrigan , Wendell Pierce , Beck Bennett , Sean Gunn Expand

Related 1 Actor In James Gunn’s Superman Will Break A Brand-New MCU & DC Universe Record One new actor cast in James Gunn's Superman reboot will be breaking a huge new record, and could introduce some unusual faces to the DC Universe.

July 2025 Is Going to Be A Great Time For Superhero Movie Fans

San Diego Comic-Con Promises Even More Treats In 2025

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July 2025 promises to be full of excellent experiences for superhero movie fans. In addition to the films at the multiplex, where both Superman and The Fantastic Four: First Steps will give incredible insight into the shape and future of each of their respective universes, the month will also feature San Diego Comic-Con. With a number of major announcements coming from SDCC 2024, which culminated in Robert Downey Jr.'s return to the MCU as Doctor Doom, it seems there will certainly be more news and footage to come out of the convention next year.

It would not be unreasonable to believe that Avengers: Doomsday could receive its first trailer at SDCC 2025. The film starts shooting early in 2024, and there will likely be enough filmed to bring something to Hall H. The film releases in May 2025, so this would be early - however, it is certainly possible. With Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts* behind the franchise at this point, there will undoubtedly be some new exciting information that comes out that month following SDCC.

Related 10 MCU Heroes We Need To See Fight RDJ's Doctor Doom In Avengers: Doomsday & Secret Wars Robert Downey Jr. has returned to the MCU as Doctor Doom, and when he meets some heroes in the next two Avengers movies, emotional moments will occur.

Marvel is in need of a new franchise that really connects with audiences, and it appears they are best set to replicate their Guardians success with the upcoming The Fantastic Four: First Steps. With a stellar cast of Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, and a whole lot more, the film promises to open up an entirely new side of the MCU with its multiversal story. Given the team is confirmed to appear in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, the film will certainly be a significant part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe story going forward.