Despite helping launch Marvel’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps into a box office success, director Matt Shakman seems to be too busy to return for a sequel anytime soon. According to industry insider Jeff Sneider, scheduling issues and Marvel’s evolving timeline may prevent the filmmaker from stepping back into the director’s chair for a second outing.

The update comes as a surprise, given the film’s strong performance at the global box office. Fantastic Four: First Steps reportedly earned almost $522 million worldwide, helping restore confidence in Marvel’s first family after years of uneven live-action adaptations. Shakman’s direction, in particular, earned praise for balancing retro optimism, emotional storytelling, and larger MCU stakes.

Speaking on The Hot Mic podcast with John Rocha, Sneider backed the claims of Shakman getting hired for a new Planet of the Apes installment. Following this commitment, Matt Shakman's future with the franchise now appears uncertain.

According to Deadline, the filmmaker is set to direct an untitled Planet of the Apes film for 20th Century Studios alongside writer Josh Friedman, who also worked on Fantastic Four: First Steps and the Avatar sequels. Reports suggest the new film will tell an original story rather than continue 2024’s Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.

But while Shakman may be moving toward another franchise, Disney does not appear ready to move away from him anytime soon.

Disney still appears invested in Matt Shakman

Matt Shakman has quietly become one of Disney’s most trusted creative voices in recent years. After earning an Emmy nomination for directing Marvel’s WandaVision, he landed Fantastic Four: First Steps and helped turn the film into a global hit. Beyond Marvel, he has also directed major television projects like Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, The Consultant, and Welcome to Chippendales, with upcoming work on Wild Things starring Jude Law and Andrew Garfield.

At the same time, Marvel’s immediate roadmap may simply not leave enough room for a Fantastic Four sequel anytime soon. With the studio still building toward Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars over the next two years, the sequel may not yet be an immediate priority — potentially making scheduling conflicts far more difficult to resolve. So, despite Fantastic Four crossing the $500 million worldwide mark, creative continuity may ultimately depend less on success and more on timing.

Do you think Marvel should wait for Matt Shakman to return for a Fantastic Four sequel? Let us know in the comments.

Written by

Aarav Poonia