Here's when you can expect The Fantastic Four: First Steps to be released on digital

Superheroes, dinosaurs and nostalgia took the world of Hollywood by storm this summer, with the likes of Superman , Jurassic World Rebirth , Freakier Friday , and I Know What You Did Last Summer all thrilling audiences around the world. Of course, Marvel Studios got in the fun - twice in fact, with the critically-acclaimed Thunderbolts* arriving in May and the larger-than-life The Fantastic Four: First Steps making its presence felt as one of July's big releases.

The film, led by the heroic quartet of Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards / Mister Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm / Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm / Human Torch, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm / The Thing, proved to be a fan-favorite of the summer season, earning around $500 million at the box office.

There's still time to see it in movie theaters before it completes its theatrical run, but fans have noticed that July's other two big blockbuster movies ( Superman and Jurassic World Rebirth ) have already made their digital debut - leaving everyone to wonder when Fantastic Four will be available to watch at home on VOD services?

"The Fantastic Four: First Steps" digital streaming release is expected to be before the end of September.

We should expect to see Marvel's First Family's big adventure released digitally between mid and late September. Marvel hasn't pinned down an exact day as yet, but Marvel Cinematic Universe movies have a two-month wait between their theatrical and digital releases. Moreover, a new report claims that the film will be available for purchase or rental on digital platforms on September 27. That would also coincide with the release timeframe of previous releases. Even looking at the franchise's most recent digital release, Thunderbolts* was released to buy / rent on digital services on July 1, exactly two months after its theatrical release date, so F4 His rumored September 27 date would match that (as it would see the movie released on VOD platforms two months and two days after its theatrical release).

No, it doesn't look like that. The Fantastic Four will be joining Superman and Jurassic World Rebirth in grabbing early digital releases. Both films arrived on VOD services (such as Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV) just over a month after their respective theatrical releases, which is frankly shocking considering that both were still making a lot of money at the box office. But hey, it allows the films to dominate the download charts too!

Naturally, fans were hoping that First Steps might join its fellow July blockbusters in doing so, but that won't be the case it seems. Marvel often holds its theatrical titles for around two months before releasing them digitally, and with The Fantastic Four Suffering from a sharp second-week box office drop, it's probably wise that the studio tries to make up for that by ensuring that all MCU fans continue to see it while it is still in theaters.

Speaking of the movie's box office gross, it has performed well for Marvel overall, posting stronger numbers than the vast majority of the franchise's recent films. Even with a slightly sharp second-week drop, it's still expected to finish its box office run just north of $500 million worldwide, making it the most successful Marvel movie of the year (and one of the strongest-performing ones in recent years). It's also the highest-grossing Fantastic Four movie of all time, so this one has really been a winner all around.

Taking all of that into account, it would make total sense that Marvel would prefer to focus on getting the film over the $500 million mark (it's currently sitting at $490 million) and then allowing it to push a bit further before the end of its theatrical run - especially if the studio is planning on making that sequel happen. And with that in mind, the end-of-September digital release is looking extremely likely right now.

After it becomes available for purchase and rent on digital services, its streaming debut will come this autumn when it arrives on Disney Plus.

Needless to say, fans are ready to catch up with Reed, Sue, Johnny, and Ben in the not-too-distant future.

This article was originally published on newsrealtimeas Here's when you can expect The Fantastic Four: First Steps to release on digital .

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The Doctor Doom Easter Egg in Fantastic Four: First Steps, Explained

Spoilers for "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" follow.

"The Fantastic Four: First Steps" is the best Fantastic Four movie to date , but no "F4" movie is complete without one crucial character: the Four's nemesis, Doctor Victor von Doom. Doom has been absent from the "First Steps" marketing, but the movie does Offer a sneak peek at him in its mid-credits scene. In an apparent set-up for "Avengers: Doomsday," Doom (who remains mostly unseen, but will be played by Robert Downey Jr.) teleports into the Baxter Building and introduces himself to young Franklin Richards.

But Doom's presence had been foreshadowed earlier. During "First Steps," Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby) has founded a United Nations-like assembly called the Future Foundation. One seat is noticeably empty: the delegation for the Eastern-European country Latveria is nowhere to be seen. No, it's not a real country. Latveria is Doom's domain, and the previous "Fantastic Four" films have depicted him as a Latverian-American immigrant. In the comics, Doom rules Latveria. That's why the F4 can never put him in jail no matter all the horrible things Doom has done to them ; as the sovereign ruler of Latveria, Doom has diplomatic immunity from prosecution. Doom's genius and inventions also mean he can fight off any coup attempts or U.S. backed invasions.

Doom's animus is a burning hatred for his college rival, Reed Richards. supposedly because Reed sabotaged one of Doom's experiments, but really because Doom just can't stand that Reed is smarter than him. Assuming Doom is the ruler of Latveria in "First Steps" (and by extension, the Doom in the post-credits scene is the one from Earth-828), it makes total sense that Latveria would not participate in an organization founded by Richards' wife.

Now, anyone who calls themselves "Doctor Doom" can't be very nice, and Victor isn't. But as the ruler of Latveria, is he the malevolent tyrant you'd assume he is? That answer is not so simple.

Read more: Every Marvel Character Locked Up In The Raft

The History Of Latveria In Marvel Comics, Explained

Doom's very first appearance in 1962's "Fantastic Four" #5 (by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby) quickly dispensed with his origin. He was introduced as an old schoolmate of Reed Richards' who was seduced by the dark arts, but how he became Doctor Doom was left unsaid. He owned a castle as well, but there was no mention of him being a true monarch.

Lee & Kirby's full origin for Doom only appeared in 1964's "Fantastic Four Annual" #2. Victor von Doom was born to a poor Romani tribe in Latveria, which was then ruled by a cruel Baron. Doom's father Werner failed to save the Baron's terminally ill wife and froze to death trying to flee the Baron's troops. Victor later left to be educated in America, but we know how that It turned out. After becoming Doctor Doom, Victor returned to Latveria and led the people in revolt against the Baron. (Lee/Kirby skipped over this, but Ed Brubaker and Pablo Raimondi's expanded 2005 origin "Books of Doom" turned the Latverian revolution into its climax.)

What is consistent is that Doom elevated Latveria from a backwater nation into a superpower. (He also renamed the nation's capital city Doomstadt.) Many Marvel writers have different opinions on who Doom truly is behind his mask , though, so how Doom treats his subjects and how they feel about him can vary. Lee & Kirby suggested that Doom's people respected him, but feared his tempestuous wrath too.

In "Fantastic Four" #57, a Latverian citizen bumps into Doom; Doom is ready to eviscerate the clumsy "clod," but cools his anger because he's trying to deceive the Silver Surfer into trusting him.

John Byrne's "Fantastic Four" offered a modern take on Doom, as described in the words of Marvel.com , a "somewhat benevolent dictator." In an earlier story, "Fantastic Four" #200, the F4 helped overthrow Doom and placed Zorba Fortunov - the last surviving heir to the Latverian royal family - on the throne. When the F4 visit Latveria again in "Fantastic Four" #246-247, our heroes are stunned to find that Latveria has fallen into ruin under Zorba's ruthless but incompetent leadership, and the people want Doom back. The Doctor obliges them.

Doom may be an autocrat who restricts personal liberties, but he keeps his people safe and well-fed. He's like a stern father, while all of Latveria are his beloved children (almost literally with Kristoff Vernard, a Latverian orphan whom Doom takes as his ward). Many of the best Doctor Doom stories explore his leadership of Latveria — I hope that "Avengers: Doomsday," which looks to be a packed movie, doesn't leave this out.

"The Fantastic Four: First Steps" is playing in theaters.

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