The Return of Galactus in The Fantastic Four: First Steps Could Mean Big Things for Marvel

True Believers, assemble! The first trailer for The Fantastic Four: First Steps has dropped, giving us our first glimpse of Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Marvel's First Family, alongside their robot companion, Herbie. The retro-futuristic art design sets a unique tone, a refreshing departure from typical MCU fare. While the July 25, 2025 release date has us buzzing, one character truly commands attention: Galactus, the Devourer of Worlds.

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While only briefly glimpsed, Galactus already looks far more faithful to his comic book counterpart than the previous attempt in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. Let's delve into why The Fantastic Four: First Steps seems poised to finally do this iconic Marvel character justice.

Who Is the Devourer of Worlds? Galactus Explained

For the uninitiated, let's explore Galactus' comic book history. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in Fantastic Four #48, Galactus is a cosmic entity. His origin story begins as Galan, a mortal survivor of a previous universe. After the Big Bang, Galan merged with the sentience of his universe, reborn as Galactus, a colossal being traversing the cosmos, sustaining himself by consuming life-bearing planets. He employs heralds to locate these planets, the most famous being the Silver Surfer.

The Fantastic Four's first encounter with Galactus involved a warning from the Watcher (breaking his non-interference oath). They battled the Silver Surfer, but failed to prevent Galactus' arrival. Despite convincing the Surfer to betray Galactus, the Human Torch had to retrieve the Ultimate Nullifier—capable of harming Galactus—from Galactus' worldship, Taa II. Threatened with the Nullifier, Galactus spared Earth. He then departed, exiling the Silver Surfer for his treachery.

Since then, Galactus has remained a significant figure in the Marvel universe, clashing with the Fantastic Four and Thor on numerous occasions, his backstory revealed during these encounters. He's not simply "evil," but a morally ambiguous figure driven by survival. Despite his iconic status, previous big-screen portrayals have fallen short. Until now.

The Second Coming of Galactus in The Fantastic Four: First Steps

While appearing in cartoons and video games (like the '90s Fantastic Four cartoon and Marvel vs. Capcom 3), Galactus' only previous film appearance was in Tim Story's 2007 Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. This portrayal was underwhelming. While following the basic comic book plot (Surfer's arrival preceding Galactus' planet-consuming threat), Galactus' design was a letdown—a featureless cloud, a far cry from his iconic comic book appearance. His lack of dialogue and easy defeat disappointed fans.

However, The Fantastic Four: First Steps appears to be a significant improvement. The trailer's glimpses, along with the San Diego Comic-Con drone light show tease, suggest a closer adherence to Jack Kirby's classic design. Marvel's choice of Galactus as the villain is telling; they seem aware of the shortcomings of the 20th Century Fox adaptation and aim for redemption. With Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom seemingly reserved for Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars (though a cameo in First Steps remains a possibility), Marvel can fully focus on Galactus' MCU debut.

This is crucial given the MCU's recent struggles in the Multiverse Saga. With numerous films and villains already utilized, Galactus' pedigree offers a chance to revitalize the franchise. A successful Galactus adaptation could significantly boost the MCU's reputation and generate excitement for the next two Avengers films, in which the Fantastic Four are set to play major roles.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps - Trailer 1 Stills

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Fans previously expressed more interest in seeing the Fantastic Four's rogues gallery (Doctor Doom, Annihilus, Galactus) than the team itself. While the perception of the Fantastic Four has improved (check out Ryan North's current comic run!), Galactus and related characters could be the key to rejuvenating the MCU post-Multiverse Saga.

Galactus is arguably the Fantastic Four's best villain, and a compelling live-action portrayal is long overdue. Judging by the trailer, The Fantastic Four: First Steps appears to be on the right track. We'll see how Marvel's attempt fares this July.