Now that Galactus has been confirmed as the villain in the upcoming MCU spin on The Fantastic Four, his vast powers and comic book history need explaining. The Fantastic Four is currently slated to release on July 25, 2025 and will depict Mr. Fantastic, The Invisible Woman, the Thing and the Human Torch in their MCU debut. From promotional images for The Fantastic Four alone, it looks as though the multiverse will play a big role, so the involvement of a godlike cosmic villain is no surprise.
As more details about the MCU’s long-awaited adaptation of Marvel’s First Family steadily emerge, the latest developments include Ralph Ineson’s casting as Galactus. Ralph Ineson is most well known for his roles as Dagmer Cleftjaw in Game of Thrones, William in The Witch, and, most recently, General Andrews in The Creator. Ineson’s deep and commanding voice has also been employed in a litany of voice acting roles and lends itself well to the cosmic entity that will no doubt be hoping to gobble up the world on which The Fantastic Four live.
Galactus’s Marvel Comics History Explained
Galactus is the world-devouring nemesis of just about anyone whose world has been chosen for consumption, but the Fantastic Four in particular. His first appearance was in Fantastic Four #48 in 1966 (a time period that the promotional image for The Fantastic Four seems to evoke) which was the first issue of Marvel Comics’ “Galactus Trilogy.” In this trilogy, Galactus’ intentions to devour Earth are thwarted as Johnny Storm/The Human Torch purloins a secret weapon from Galactus’ ship, the Ultimate Nullifier, which convinces the cosmic being to halt his attack for the time being.
This debut made such an impact that Galactus went from being a one-time villain of The Fantastic Four to a mainstay of the Marvel mythos. Later issues would delve into his backstory, identifying him as the mortal Galan who lived within the waning days of the Sixth Cosmos. He was later imbued with the power of Eternity and unleashed as a dispassionate world-eater within the next iteration of the multiverse where most Marvel Comics take place. Now as one of Marvel’s most iconic villains, Galactus is unique insofar as his world-eating tendencies are not malicious but are instead born of necessity.
Galactus only devours worlds to survive, as he requires them for sustenance. This grim motive was bestowed on Galactus to maintain “balance” in the universe and initially saw him devouring worlds that weren’t teeming with life before worlds like Earth would draw his attention. Throughout several decades, Galactus has expressed remorse for his actions though continued in the knowledge that he was part of a natural order. Other comic book characters that Galactus has faced are Thor, Beta Ray Bill, and Thanos, to name a few, though he remains a looming celestial presence in every Marvel tale.
Galactus’s Powers Explained
As a cosmic being, Galactus is one of the most powerful entities in the Marvel Universe with a godlike powerset. Throughout the course of Marvel Comics, Galactus was able to defeat Mephisto on his home turf and subjugate Dormammu. The fact that both of these beings are nigh-omnipotent within their own realms speaks to the power levels boasted by Galactus, which extend far beyond the ability to devour entire planets and the implications of being astronomically huge. Much of this power comes from the Power Cosmic, an unlimited source of cosmic energy that he also bestows on his heralds.
This energy grants Galactus power tantamount to omnipotence, with just about every ability from energy manipulation to control over life itself being a part of his repertoire. Galactus has been responsible for the destruction of entire galaxies while the Nova Corps has branded him a Universal Threat. All this power hinges, however, on Galactus’ access to the planets on which he relies for sustenance and energy levels. The godlike entity can, therefore, be significantly weakened if starved. Aside from that, he is also susceptible to powerful weapons such as the aforementioned Universal Nullifier and a completed Infinity Gantlet.
Galactus’s Role In The Fantastic Four Explained
As yet, not much is known about the precise role that Galactus will play in The Fantastic Four. Thankfully, his modus operandi is pretty cut-and-dry, making it a safe bet that he will have the Fantastic Four’s home planet in his sights as he seeks to satiate his hunger. How The Fantastic Four will counter this gargantuan cosmic threat remains a point of conjecture for the foreseeable future.
Galactus has appeared once before in live-action in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer , though his depiction as a colossal cosmic cloud drew a significant level of ire from viewers.
Julia Garner has been cast as Shalla Bal – a Silver Surfer – suggesting that she may have a significant part to play in bringing Galactus’ wrath to the titular team’s home world. As for where that is, the retrofuturistic vibe of the promotional images and unfamiliar cityscape depicted in the background hints that The Fantastic Four will take place in an alternate universe to the majority of mainline MCU installments. The fact that The Fantastic Four has never been mentioned in the MCU so far also hints that they may exist outside Earth-616.
Given the Fantastic Four will somehow need to link up with the main MCU, this does not bode well for the fate of The Fantastic Four’s universe, suggesting that Galactus may even succeed in consuming their planet and turning them into multiversal refugees.
Given the Fantastic Four will somehow need to link up with the main MCU, this does not bode well for the fate of The Fantastic Four’s universe, suggesting that Galactus may even succeed in consuming their planet and turning them into multiversal refugees. Given their similarities, Galactus may also be involved in the designs of the Celestials, which recently played a pivotal role in Eternals. Whatever the case, the nature of Galactus’ involvement is left to pure speculation until Marvel decides to divulge more information in the lead-up to its release.
How Galactus Could Become A Bigger MCU Threat
It is safe to assume that Galactus won’t be felled by The Fantastic Four in their MCU debut, which is something that very few – including Thanos and Thor – have achieved in Marvel Comics. This assumption opens the door for Galactus to appear further down the line, turning him into one of the greatest threats the MCU has ever seen with his near-omnipotence and hunger for entire worlds. How this plays out in the Multiverse Saga remains to be seen, but it isn’t hard to envisage Galactus posing a threat equivalent to the Celestials.
Some theories suggest that Galactus may up his game from being a devourer of worlds to being a devourer of universes. This is a function that would slot neatly into the Multiverse Saga’s narrative and the ever-looming threat of incursions ahead of Avengers: Secret Wars. Alternatively, his penchant for planets works against the designs of the Celestials who rely on planets as incubators, potentially leading to Galactus coming to blows with them in a future MCU installment with cataclysmic consequences (though the scene would be undoubtedly epic).
If Galactus does survive his debut in 2025’s The Fantastic Four, it is hard to see how any cosmic heroes could go about their heroic duties without encountering the wandering Goliath once more. With that in mind, Galactus may reappear in the MCU’s Nova series or Thor 4. Conversely, his MCU debut now opens the door for him to become Franklin Richards’ pet on Battleworld if Avengers: Secret Wars decides to adapt that particular tidbit of the comic book arc.
