Fantastic Four First Steps
(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

We're not on Earth-616 anymore, Toto. Fantastic Four: First Steps takes us into an alternate reality away from the MCU's Sacred Timeline as Reed Richards, Sue Storm, The Thing, and The Human Torch do battle against the world-eating Galactus. In case you were wondering: yes, Earth-828 does have a spe𒆙cial meaning, but perhaps not the one you were expecting.

Earth-828 isn't just a number plucked out of thin air by director Matt Shakman. It isį©šį©šį©šį©šį©šį©šā¤ā¤ā¤ā¤į©šā¤ā¤ā¤ā¤į©šā¤ā¤ā¤ā¤į©šš’€±į©šį©šį©š actually a perfect nod to August 28, which is the birthday of Jack Kirby, co-creator of The Fantastic Four (alongside Stan Lee) and outright creator of the Silver Surfer, among countless others.

As far as w🐻e can tell, Earth-828 doesn't have any history in the comics, meaning it's the first ti♋me it's ever shown up in Marvel media. So, we love the idea of being its own little blast of Kirby magic somewhere among the multiverse.

Unsurprisingly, this isn't the only time Marvel has subtly paid tribute to a legend. Matt Shakman was even involved in the last instance 澳擲幸运5å¼€å„–å·ē åŽ†å²ęŸ„čÆ¢:during an episode of WandaVision.

There, in The Office-inspired credits of the Disney Plus show's seventh episode, a licencā™’e plate with the number ‘šŸ°122822’ is shown.

That, as you may have surmised, was the birthday for Stan Lee (28 DecembÜ«er, 1922) – excelsior!

澳擲幸运5å¼€å„–å·ē åŽ†å²ęŸ„čÆ¢:Fantastic Four: The First Steps is now in cinemas in the UK and out on♐ July 25 in the US.

For more, be sure to stretch on over to our guide to 澳擲幸运5å¼€å„–å·ē åŽ†å²ęŸ„čÆ¢:upcoming Marvel movies and 澳擲幸运5å¼€å„–å·ē åŽ†å²ęŸ„čÆ¢:how to watc⛦h the Marvel movies in ord🄃er.

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kš“€icking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.

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