We reported yesterday on Vanessa Kirby’s Susan Storm leading the new Fantastic Four movie. But the fantastic news does not stop there. Jeff Sneider on Twitter has reported a casting request for Galactus, suggesting that the Devourer of Worlds will be the Big Bad for the movie.
This comes as no surprise, as Galactus is one of the most recognizable of the Fantastic Four’s foes and has enough gravitas within the Marvel universe to become the next Thanos. But it does beg the question: Why not Victor von Doom? Doctor Doom is arguably the Fantastic Four’s arch nemesis, so wouldn’t it make sense for their reboot to start with him?
A Short History of Galactus The World Eater
The origin of Galactus in the comic books goes back to the previous universe, which existed before the current Marvel Universe. When the previous universe came to an end, the entity known as Galan of Taa survived and merged with the Sentience of the Universe. As a result, Galan was reborn as Galactus, a being with immense cosmic power and the role of a cosmic balance keeper.
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The character’s primary need is to consume the life energy of planets, which he does with the help of his vast, planet-sized spaceship called Taa II or his “Worldship.” This consumption is facilitated by his powerful technology known as the “Ultimate Nullifier” or by using a device called the “Galactus Seed.” It might be for this reason that we are rebooting with Galactus rather than Victor – it will allow the Fantastic Four to be firmly entrenched in the MCU from the outset, rather than working on a smaller scale in their own film.
The absence of Doctor Doom as a villain might also mean we get a respite from the Reed-Sue-Victor love triangle that often dominates Fantastic Four media. With Sue taking center stage, it would be easy to reduce the film to a love story and rehash the same storylines we have seen with Jessica Alba’s depiction of the character.
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Though he is considered a villain due to the destruction he causes while feeding, Galactus does not act out of malice or evil intent. His actions are driven by an instinctual urge to survive and maintain the cosmic balance. In some stories, he is even shown to have a sense of remorse for the destruction he causes but believes it is a necessary part of his cosmic role. We have seen similar needs for cosmic balance referenced with Thanos’ arc, and Marvel would risk retreading old ground if they presented Galactus in a morally-gray “the audience can see where he’s coming from” manner.
Will Galactus be joined by his emissary, the Silver Surfer, as he was in 2007’s Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer? That has yet to be confirmed. Though Jeff Sneider points out that Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Punisher, Girls) has been cast as someone who is not The Thing, but possible Silver Surfer.
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As Galactus’ herald, the Surfer scouts the universe to find suitable planets for the World Eater to consume. However, many storylines have him eventually turn against his master as he witnesses the devastation and suffering caused by Galactus’ actions and undergoes an internal conflict that leads him to rebel against Galactus, attempt to thwart his plans and protect innocent worlds.
How do you feel about Galactus being the Big Bad of the new Fantastic Four film? Is it too predictable, or do you think it’s a safe way to introduce the Four into the MCU? Let’s talk about it on social media and check back for more on the Fantastic Four and MCU! We’re always watching…
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Source: The Hot Mic
