Fantastic Four: The 1960s Reinvented – Marvel’s Bold Cinematic Leap

The Fantastic Four is rumored to be set in the 1960s and Marvel Studios has already proven that it can excel in recreating this bygone era on screen.

The Fantastic Four is rumored to have a 1960s setting, and the MCU can look to one of their Disney+ shows for inspiration on recreating that atmosphere. The Valentine’s Day poster for The Fantastic Four did more than announce the cast. It teased the film’s setting with an aesthetic that looks like a sitcom from the 1960s. The home features old-school furniture, the characters all have goofy smiles, and there is a robot that looks straight out of The Jetsons. The recent Human Torch poster also looks like a 1964 New York World’s Fair advertisement.

Even though Marvel hasn’t officially confirmed it, the 1960s setting seems likely. However, this isn’t the first time the MCU has recreated this period. One episode of Wandavision had a 1960s aesthetic and was brought to life brilliantly by Matt Shakman, the same director behind The Fantastic Four.

Matt Shakman Already Recreated A 1960s Aesthetic In Wandavision

Shakman directed all nine episodes of Wandavision, including episode 2, which parodied 1960s sitcoms. The episode features Wanda and Vision preparing and performing a magic act at a neighborhood talent show. Throughout the episode, weird occurrences happen to Wanda, threatening to break the magical reality she has created. The actors all perform as though they are stuck in a 1960s sitcom, and they are surrounded by sets and costumes that bring that nostalgic feeling to life. It also features a well-animated intro in the style of Bewitched alongside a catchy jingle.

This episode showed that Marvel knows how to emulate that classic 1960s feeling, especially the fake sitcom atmosphere that The Fantastic Four posters emulate. Shakman is a director who can work in that environment while combining it with a superhero/ sci-fi story. Marvel has time-traveled in the past, like how Captain America: The First Avenger was set almost entirely in the early 1940s, and they’ve proven they can pull it off.

Why The Fantastic Four Is Better Off Being Set In The 1960s

The Fantastic Four will benefit from its 1960s setting as it’s a breath of fresh air for a universe needing some new energy and momentum. It can give this film a unique style and allow it to stand out more. Popular theories claim that The Fantastic Four will also be set in another universe, so that could allow Marvel to play around with its setting even more, creating a 1960s that feels strange but also familiar. Either way, Shakman should be trusted with bringing this aesthetic to life.