Marvel Studios will avoid a Thanos parallel with Galactus' Matt Shakman's The Fantastic Four: First Steps will open Phase 6 with the introduction of one of the most famous and powerful villains in Marvel history.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps' first trailer teases Galactus' arrival with only a couple of shots that tease his comic-accurate look. According to these shots, the MCU's Galactus will possess his size-shifting abilities, just like his comic book counterpart. The trailer also suggests that Galactus' arrival will take the titular team by surprise, as they're shown enjoying their daily lives as celebrities in their alternate timeline before Galactus casts his ominous shadow over New York. While Galactus could be the next Thanos in of disastrous consequences for a major MCU timeline, there's a major difference between the two villains.
The MCU Doesn’t Tease Galactus’ Introduction With A Post-Credits Scene
Galactus' MCU Introduction Is Just As Sudden For Audiences As It Is For The Fantastic Four
In 2012, The Avengers' post-credits scene strengthened a groundbreaking trend that the MCU and many other movie franchises had recently adopted. Thanos' brief appearance in The Avengers' post-credits tease raised expectations for every movie released after Phase 1 and set up his main villain role in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. Six years after The Avengers, Thanos' victory in Avengers: Infinity War paid off Thanos' first on-screen appearance; and seven years later, Thanos' defeat bookended The Avengers' tease. Although Galactus could be just as destructive as Thanos, the Devourer of Worlds will make his MCU debut right away with no prior post-credits scene to tease his arrival.
Every Marvel End-Credits Scene Explained
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Since The Avengers' Thanos post-credits tease, the MCU's post-credits scenes have been rather hit-or-miss. For every exciting set-up like Thanos' "I'll do it myself" threat in Avengers: Age of Ultron's post-credits scene or J. Jonah Jameson's exposure of Spider-Man's secret identity in Spider-Man: Far From Home's post-credits scene, there have been many disappointing gags such as Captain America's patience lesson in Spider-Man: Homecoming or forgotten teases like Eternals' Starfox and Blade introductions. It may be a wise decision to avoid setting any expectations prior to Galactus' MCU debut.
Galactus’ Lack Of Prior Post-Credits Scene Might Enhance His MCU Introduction
Galactus' MCU Introduction Is Just As Sudden For Audiences As It Is For The Fantastic Four
Whereas Thanos' confrontation with the Avengers was seven years in the making in the Infinity Saga, Galactus' arrival will be abrupt, for audiences and probably for the Fantastic Four. If Galactus does take the Fantastic Four by surprise, the odds would be in his favor, making him a nearly unstoppable threat that would raise the stakes to apocalyptic levels. Sure, Julia Garner's Silver Surfer may give the Fantastic Four a heads-up before Galactus arrives, but there may be little the Fantastic Four will be able to do to stop the Devourer of Worlds by the time he enters the Earth's atmosphere.
Ideas for a sequel to Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer reportedly included the Inhumans, the Skrulls, Black Panther, and a Silver Surfer spinoff, and Galactus' return wasn't out of the question
One of the many scrapped plans for Josh Trank's Fant4stic included a post-credits scene teasing Galactus for an unmade sequel, and Thor: Love and Thunder concept art shows Thor facing off against Galactus. Ideas for a sequel to Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer reportedly included the Inhumans, the Skrulls, Black Panther, and a Silver Surfer spinoff, and Galactus' return wasn't out of the question. In short, Galactus is an ideal character for ominous teases of future projects, as his main appeal is precisely his imminent arrival. Yet, Marvel Studios isn't taking the obvious approach with the villain.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ Post-Credits Scene May Be The MCU’s Most Important
The MCU's Best Opportunity For A Fantastic Four Post-Credits Tease Comes At The End Of Their First Movie
While the MCU had the chance to tease Galactus' debut in a prior Multiverse Saga installment, The Fantastic Four: First Steps' post-credits scene could be much meatier than any possible Galactus tease. After all, The Fantastic Four: First Steps will likely lead to Avengers: Doomsday, either directly or in retrospect when the crossover film hits theaters. Considering Galactus is the Fantastic Four's first MCU villain, The Fantastic Four: First Steps' post-credits tease could connect the Devourer of Worlds directly to Avengers: Doomsday's plot or Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom.
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Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom has the chance to outdo Thanos and Kang the Conqueror in Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars by a wide margin.
Galactus is one of the villains the Marvel heroes in Battleworld have to face after the Beyonder gathers them in 1984's Secret Warsi. In Marvel Comics' 2015 Secret Wars storyline, Galactus becomes Franklin Richards' Herald before God Emperor Doom rewrites the Marvel multiverse. And in 1998's What If...? Vol. 1 #114 — curiously subtitled "Brave New World", Galactus and the Beyonder kill each other, and all participants of the original Secret Wars get stranded in Battleworld. One way or the other, Galactus could play a key role in the MCU's Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars after his introduction in The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps
- Release Date
- July 25, 2025
- Runtime
- 130 Minutes
- Director
- Matt Shakman
- Writers
- Jeff Kaplan, Josh Friedman, Ian Springer, Eric Pearson, Stan Lee
- Producers
- Jamie Christopher, Kevin Feige, Louis D'Esposito, Tim Lewis
Cast
Reed Richards / Mr. Fantastic
Vanessa KirbySue Storm / The Invisible Woman
Johnny Storm / Human Torch
Ebon Moss-BachrachBen Grimm / The Thing
- Franchise(s)
- Marvel Cinematic Universe
- Studio(s)
- Marvel Studios
- Distributor(s)
- Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
