The Fantastic Four are currently front and center in Marvel's spotlight. With the First Steps film just weeks away from its theatrical debut and a new comic series, along with several other titles featuring the team, set to hit shelves, they're getting plenty of attention. Fortunately for fans, some of that excitement could also spark a revival of the long-neglected Inhumans franchise.

While the Fantastic Four are Marvel's first and premier superhero family, they maintain several important alliances that help them serve and protect the universe. One of their first major relationships started with the Inhumans, a group that has been ignored both onscreen and in the comics for years after a disastrous television show.

Although the Inhumans TV show tanked, the Fantastic Four rapidly gaining popularity and attention could be their ticket to a revival. The F4 and Inhumans are strong allies with a rich history that began early in Reed, Sue, Ben, and Johnny's adventuring days and deserves to continue.

The Fantastic Four Could Redeem the Inhumans After Their TV Flop

With a New Comic Series and Movie, the First Family Might Be the Inhumans’ Best Hope

Both comic and MCU fans have plenty to celebrate with the Fantastic Four. One of the team's most acclaimed comic arcs is drawing to a close, making way for a Fantastic Four #1, by Ryan North and Humberto Ramos, set to release on July 9, 2025. The new title's debut happens just before the four officially the MCU with The Fantastic Four: First Steps on July 25, 2025. All the attention is certain to have new fans searching for more, and the team's long history is filled with excellent stories, many of which act as a bridge to the Inhumans.

It's been years since the Inhumans' show received poor reception, but the negative consequences continue. While the superpowered group once enjoyed multiple ongoing comic titles and events, they've been decimated and pushed to the side, with their most well-known faces nowhere to be seen. The surge of love for the Fantastic Four offers a glimmer of hope. The incredibly close ties, with the F4 acting as the vehicle for the Inhumans' original introduction in the comics back in Fantastic Four #45 by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Joe Sinnott, and Artie Simek. They could do the same for the MCU, offering the Inhumans a second chance to impress.

The Fantastic Four and the Inhumans Share a Deep Comic Legacy Worth Revisiting

From Team-Ups to Romance and Rivalries, Their History Sets the Stage for a Powerful MCU Reunion

Not only did the Inhumans make their original debut alongside the Fantastic Four, but the two teams continued to maintain close ties in the decades that followed. They've ed forces multiple times to combat common threats, both on the planet and out in the wider universe. The Fantastic Four has, on several occasions, had a gap in its ranks, and more than once that's been filled by an Inhuman. Medusa, the Inhuman Queen, and her sister Crystal Amaquelin, whose powers allow her to control the elements, have both been official of the Fantastic Four when the team was in need.

ittedly, things haven't always been rosy. The Inhumans are an insular, isolated society, defined by their unique biology and the process of Terrigenesis, which can grant them any number of superpowers. As a result, there has been distrust and conflict with other groups, including the Fantastic Four. That conflict adds yet another way to potentially reintroduce them to the MCU. The two teams have bonded and fought, shared star-crossed romances (namely, Human Torch's links to both Crystal and Medusa), and there's still more for them to explore. Their history alone is a reason to bring them back into the fold.

The Inhumans Were Benched After One Disastrous TV Show

The Inhumans Were Once Marvel’s Mutant Replacements, Now They’re Due for Redemption

The Inhumans have undeniably been put into an extended timeout within the Marvel Universe, but there was a time when the franchise was being hailed as the next big thing. The Inhumans share a great deal in common with the X-Men, and before the TV show proved itself to be a critical failure, it seemed as if they were intended to replace, or at least edge out, mutants within the Marvel Universe. With their wide variety of powers, web of connections, and the introduction of Nuhumans (including Ms. Marvel), they were all set to occupy a much larger space.

The failed show changed their course entirely. With poor storytelling, questionable costume and set design, and a general underwhelming performance, it only succeeded in ensuring the Inhumans would spend years pushed under the rug. Thanks to Death of the Inhumans, by Donny Cates and Ariel Olivetti, many of the once prospering race are now dead, leaving primarily the Inhuman royal family to carry on if they're properly reincorporated. They've fallen far since their time in the spotlight, when comic fans enjoyed excellent titles like Uncanny Inhumans and major events like Inhumans vs. X-Men, but the dust might have finally settled.

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The Inhumans Would Bring New Depth to the Marvel Universe

Both the MCU and Comics Finally Have Space for Their Return

Establishing that the Inhumans are interesting enough to merit a comeback is one thing, but finding a spot for them is a different beast. The MCU is constantly changing, with the multiverse making it possible to introduce practically any hero or team that stands a chance of capturing audiences. The Fantastic Four: First Steps is already set to exist a bit outside the standard timeline, so Reed, Sue, Johnny, and Ben's MCU counterparts bringing in the Inhumans certainly isn't out of the question. Although they technically live on Earth, the Inhumans have an inherently "cosmic" concept that would easily fit.

Likewise, the comics are currently wide open for the Inhumans' return. The massive and ongoing plot with Emperor Doom, which heavily involves the Fantastic Four, has such reach that including the Inhumans as a cavalry would be an unexpected and welcome surprise. They've had years to lick their wounds after Death of the Inhumans, and one of the most prominent and popular Inhumans, Ms. Marvel, is still on Earth and currently involved with the X-Men. There's more than enough room for their return, and they could actually make a positive impact at a time of crisis, making up for the franchise's blunders.

The Fantastic Four Could Be the Inhumans’ Key to Redemption

It’s Time to End Their Exile and Show Fans What They’re Really Capable Of

Regardless of how it happens, the Inhumans have been punished for one TV show's failure for long enough, and the Fantastic Four are the perfect avenue for them to return. Not only would it reaffirm the decades-old relationship between the Inhumans and the F4, but it would give both new and old fans a chance to see some of Marvel's coolest and most unexpected powers. The Inhumans are unique and come equipped with a rich history and lore of their own, and their connection to The Fantastic Four is a chance to remind fans of exactly what they're capable of.