As if discourse around the cast for Marvel’s upcoming Fantastic Four couldn’t be more of a pot-stirrer, another actor has entered the ring to potentially take part in the MCU’s debut of the First Family: Javier Bardem as the alien threat Galactus. According to Jeff Sneider, Bardem is now rumored to be in contention for the villain role, which if true, would cancel out the previously rumored Antonio Banderas. Of course, with the film currently due to release in May of 2025, the film’s cast should be assembled somewhat soon unless another delay takes place.
Javier Bardem as Galactus in Marvel’s Fantastic Four Reboot Is a Fantastic Possibility
Keeping in mind that it’s still a rumor at this point, Javier Bardem being cast as Galactus makes sense when you look at the actor’s most well-known roles. He has a knack for bringing thoroughly unsettling characters to life, from his creepy portrayal of Anton Chigurh in 2007’s No Country For Old Men to the terrorist Raoul Silva in 2012’s Skyfall to the husband character (known only as Him) in 2017’s Mother!
The man knows how to command a room and make the viewer feel instantly uncomfortable with only a few words, so bringing that kind of power to a being like Galactus could be (pardon the pun) Fantastic. Of course, it also depends on how well the character is written on the page, but we won’t be know how the overall film will be until it comes out.
Marvel’s Lucky Break
While it’s no secret that public opinion of the MCU is in a state of flux, a Fantastic Four movie gives them a great opportunity to earn back some goodwill. While each of the released films based on Marvel’s first family has its defenders (I’ll step up to bat for the early 2000s duology any day), none of them reached Fantastic levels for critics or general audiences.
The last attempt in 2015 landed with a thud due to a bevy of behind-the-scenes issues, but with a decade having gone by and Marvel needing something unique to pull audiences back in, the Fantastic Four could be their chance to pull a cosmic rabbit out of their hat.
The MCU Fantastic Four Reboot Is Shooting for Big Stakes, Big Stars
Along with Bardem, there is widespread speculation as of this writing that The Last of Us star Pedro Pascal is looking to stretch into the role of Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic, which if true could also bump up interest in the film. Pascal has shown himself to be a chameleonic actor, often being a point of praise in a film even if the general reception around it is mixed (see Kingsman: The Golden Circle and Wonder Woman 1984).
While no official announcements have confirmed Pascal for the part (or any other team members), his currently rising star along with Bardem’s pre-established one would be a point in the film’s favor, at least as far as the online community is concerned.
Given that Marvel has been leaning more into the cosmic side of their universe as of late, I expect Galactus will more closely resemble his comic book form rather than the giant dark cloud we saw in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (though it would be a rather hilarious tip to the hat if they teased that in this new film).
The recently-released The Marvels took place mostly in space and previous phase 5 films Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3 and Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania avoided Earth as much as possible, so a giant alien Galactus seems perfectly plausible for this. Here’s hoping it turns out Fantastic. Marvel’s Fantastic Four reboot is currently scheduled for a May 2, 2025 theatrical release.
What do you think of Javier Bardem as Galactus? What’s your favorite performance from the actor? Did you enjoy the previous Fantastic Four movies? Let us know on our social media.
SOURCE: TheInSneider.com
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