The reveal that The Fantastic Four: First Steps will include the Fantasticar finally realizes Howard Stark’s dream from 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger in the MCU. More was revealed about The Fantastic Four: First Steps at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con, including a new title announcement and the showing of pre-viz footage. This provided a first look at Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as the cast of the Fantastic Four, but Kevin Feige and director Matt Shakman had another reveal up their sleeve.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is one of Marvel Studios’ most highly-anticipated upcoming movies. Reintroducing Marvel’s First Family into live-action is a tall task, but the movie’s retro-futuristic style, alternate universe setting and reliance on the team’s family dynamic will work to produce the most faithful and entertaining Fantastic Four depiction for the MCU. Setting The Fantastic Four: First Steps in a version of the 1960s means some of the titular team’s classic elements from Marvel Comics can be introduced, and that includes the Fantasticar.

The Fantasticar Will Appear In The Fantastic Four: First Steps

Not only did Matt Shakman, Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach join Marvel boss Kevin Feige on stage at SDCC, but the audience in Hall H were also given a look at the Fantasticar. The Fantasticar was introduced in Marvel Comics as the primary mode of transportation for Marvel’s First Family in 1962’s Fantastic Four #3. The goofy flying bathtub design of the classic Fantasticar was updated in 1963’s Fantastic Four #12, but has been reconfigured again for the MCU’s live-action The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

The Fantasticar in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, at least the one that flew over the crowd at SDCC, is much more reminiscent of an actual car. Decorated in the Fantastic Four’s trademark blue coloring, and lacking the wheels of a more traditional car, the MCU’s Fantasticar is reminiscent of an old Cadillac, described as being “straight out of The Jetsons.” This is different from the Fantasticar seen in 2007’s Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer or even in the Void in Deadpool & Wolverine, but could connect to the MCU’s own history instead.

The Fantasticar Shares Similarities To Howard Stark’s Flying Car From 1943’s Stark Expo

Since the MCU’s new version of the Fantasticar looks far more like an actual car than previous live-action depictions of the vehicle, it shares some similarities with another flying car seen way back in Phase 1. During 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger, Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes attend 1943’s World Exposition of Tomorrow, hosted by Howard Stark. During the event, Stark presented his prototype for a flying car. Versions of this vehicle were later seen in Agent Carter and Agents of SHIELD, but not in the MCU’s canon continuity.

It’s very possible that Howard Stark’s prototype flying car was a success in the alternate universe of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, perhaps suggesting the Fantasticar may be one of Stark’s own designs. This would be a great way to pay off a 14-year-old storyline from the MCU’s first Captain America movie, connecting the new Fantastic Four team to the wider world of the MCU, while also explaining one of the team’s weirder toys from Marvel Comics. It’s even possible that Howard Stark himself could show up during The Fantastic Four: First Steps​​​​​​​.

Howard Stark Could Appear In The Fantastic Four: First Steps

It’s unclear how similar The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ alternate universe will be to the MCU’s main timeline. However, it’s certainly possible that Howard Stark and Abraham Erskine still enhanced Steve Rogers into Captain America (or perhaps Peggy Carter into Captain Carter) during the 1940s. If this is the case, Howard Stark’s appearance in the Fantastic Four’s debut movie would make complete sense, as he would be up there as one of the world’s smartest individuals, alongside Reed Richards’ Mister Fantastic.

In the MCU’s known history, Howard Stark was at the height of his career in the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s, so it’s possible this is also the case in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. This creates the opportunity for Dominic Cooper to reprise his role from Captain America: The First Avenger, Agent Carter and What If…?, bringing his younger iteration of Howard Stark back after a de-aged John Slattery appeared as the character from 1970 in Avengers: Endgame. It would be great to see Howard Stark and Reed Richards cross paths in the MCU’s Phase 6.