Probably the most awful thing that stuck out like a sore thumb from the previous Fantastic Four films was Galactus. The 2007 film reduced the iconic Galactus, a cosmic titan capable of consuming entire planets, into a mere, underwhelming cloud. As a result, fans were deeply disappointed by this downgrade of this character from what it was previously known as grand, intimidating, and majestic.
However, hopes were reignited when Ralph Ineson was cast as Galactus in the upcoming reboot. Early glimpses revealed at San Diego Comic-Con have sparked both anticipation among fans but also some doubts. The question on everyone’s lips is whether the MCU will once again stumble in its portrayal of this pivotal character.
Is Marvel Setting Up Ralph Ineson’s Galactus for Another Disappointment?
It looks like Galactus is finally getting a much-needed makeover! Born from the minds of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Galactus is traditionally depicted as a towering cosmic giant far beyond human imagination. After his less-than-stellar debut in 2007’s Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer fans have been eagerly awaiting a more comic-accurate depiction.
At Marvel Studios’ latest buzzworthy San Diego Comic-Con Hall H panel, a new, comic-accurate glimpse of Galactus played by none other than Ralph Ineson, from the upcoming Fantastic Four, was shown. The footage revealed Galactus’ face peeking through a building. While this fresh take aims to right past wrongs, some fans are still on edge, sharing their mixed feelings on Instagram about the first look.
In a clip shared by @stfu_edits_001 on Instagram, many commenters voiced their concern.
As, @de.niard claimed, “isnt it too small for galactus?”
While others also chimed in saying,
Although the footage showed Galactus as a behemoth, he was still a far cry from the colossal giant fans have in mind. No need to fret, though, Galactus can shift sizes and shapes. His true form is a sentient star, but he appears in a form that makes sense to different beings. For example, he started as Galan, a regular-sized guy, but he can grow to truly massive proportions. Despite this, fans are still scarred by the 2007 version and are crossing their fingers that this one gets it right.
Why Galactus Failed. A Detailed Look at Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
The 2007 Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer remains a sore spot for many comic book fans’ hearts, particularly in its underwhelming portrayal of the cosmic entity, Galactus. The film, despite boasting a star-studded cast including Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, and Chris Evans, failed to capture perhaps the essence of it all.
Director Tim Story has since offered insight into the challenges of bringing Galactus to the screen in the mid-2000s, a time when the superhero genre was still finding its footing. In a chat with Comicbook.com, he explained,
Absolutely not. But I do not have any problem with going on record at the time,–The ones in charge were afraid of what that could be because, you have to remember, even Marvel has gone through quite cleverly and successfully introduced us to superheroes being in space, and at the time that was never dealt with.
He further added,
So as a being from space, there were those in charge who weren’t ready for what that could be. And, so, you know, that’s not the interpretation it should have been. But coming up, there will be some good stuff.
Studio pressures and the constraints of the time likely contributed to Galactus’ lackluster debut on screen, compounded by the filmmakers’ uncertainty about how to handle such a cosmic powerhouse. With all these factors in play, fans are crossing their fingers that this new reboot will deliver a major upgrade over the previous attempts.
The Fantastic Four is set to debut in theaters on July 25, 2025.
