What Does the Future of the MCU Have in Store for (SPOILER) After 'Multiverse of Madness'?

Spoiler alert: This article contains major spoilers for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

The earth-shattering events of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness have paved the way for all sorts of wacky shenanigans in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Not only are we faced with the possibility of countless alternate universes to draw from, but we finally have our first taste of long-awaited heroes working their way into the canon. That includes the Fantastic Four.

In a surprise appearance, John Krasinski briefly appears in the film as Reed Richards — aka Mr. Fantastic. While the likes of the Human Torch and the Thing were noticeably absent, this marks the first overt reference to Marvel's "first family" in the MCU. But that was only a taste of what we can expect. With the prospect of the Fantastic Four making a more official debut, will John Krasinski play Mr. Fantastic again? Here's what we know so far.

In Multiverse of Madness, Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) comes face to face with the horror of alternate dimensions. As Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) threatens to tear reality apart for her own gains, it's up to Stephen and the multiverse-hopping America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) to protect every conceivable dimension from certain destruction. In the film, Stephen ends up in a different reality than his. Here, he faces the judgement of the Illuminati.

Among the members of the mysterious organization is Reed Richards (John Krasinski), leader of the Fantastic Four and one of the smartest people on Earth. As he warns Stephen of the ramifications of his actions, he and the other Illuminati members are forced to face off against a powered-up Scarlet Witch. The Illuminati don't last long against her, and Reed himself is torn to shreds after mere seconds.

While that certainly spells the end for Mr. Fantastic in that universe, there's still the chance for him to appear more neatly in Earth-616. A Fantastic Four film set in the MCU is still expected to release in the future. But will John Krasinski reprise his role as Mr. Fantastic?

As of this writing, there is no confirmed news as to whether or not John will return to play Reed Richards in a new Fantastic Four movie. But John helped set the precedent for the Fantastic Four to appear more officially.

John Krasinski's Mr. Fantastic appears in a canon that is, for all intents and purposes, completely separate from the events of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With Strange and America Chavez having put the multiverse more or less back in order by the end of the film, these two dimensions no longer have anything to do with each other. That being said, the MCU has laid the groundwork for the Fantastic Four to get their own origin story that takes place in that same dimension.

John Krasinski's appearance as Mr. Fantastic may just be a one-time thing, but his brief and tragic cameo has paved the way for the Fantastic Four to finally exist in the MCU.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is now in theaters.