Galactus in Front of Portal in Fantastic Four First Steps
By
Andrew Dyce
Published Jan 28, 2026, 6:50 PM EST
Andrew Dyce is the Deputy Editor for ScreenRant's coverage of Marvel, DC, and all other comics. Whether superheroes, sci-fi, fantasy, or any other genre, Andrew's decade in the industry and countless hours of analysis on podcasts like the Screen Rant Underground, Total Geekall, The Rings of Power Podcast, Batman v Superman: By The Minute, and more has left its mark.
With over a decade spent at GameRant and ScreenRant, Andrew has made himself known as an outspoken fan and critic of film, television, video games, comics, and more.
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For all the excitement of bringing the Fantastic Four into the MCU, it was the chance to finally 'get Galactus right' that got fans cheering once the skyscraper-sized space man was finally revealed. But in all the rush to deliver a true, faithful, and comic-accurate depiction of Galactus on film, the movie fails to reveal the villain's most important detail: he doesn't actually look like a human being at all.
Fantastic Four Never Explained Why Galactus Looks Like A Giant Human
Fans Are Left To Assume He's From An Alien Race of Giants
Fantastic Four Meet Galactus Close Up in First Steps Still
It's strange to consider the fact that Reed Richards, of all people, doesn't make so obvious a question the core mystery of the film once the team encounters Galactus. The brilliant team leader deduces their enemy is a cosmic entity born millions (billions?) of years before Earth, but it borders on a plot-hole-level problem for the entire cast to dismiss the villain's human appearance. After all, it's the first question someone of normal human intelligence would likely think to ask when confronted with his massive, seated, and armored form on the other side of the universe.
But if the film had actually dug into this strange riddle, then audiences around the world would have been educated about the least talked-about, but most interesting aspect of Galactus. Because the cosmic force of destruction appears as a massive human being to the Fantastic Four, and the audience, because that is their nature--not his own.
The Real Reason For Galactus Being Human is His Coolest Power
Even Though Movie Fans Won't Know It, The Comic Fans Will
Galactus in the MCU Fantastic Four movie
In one of the most intriguing twists on the character's story, the logic is actually simple: Galactus appears as a gigantic human to the Fantastic Four. Were Rocket Raccoon to look upon Galactus, he would see a colossal raccoon. For Groot, he would be a titan-sized talking tree.
And as was famously demonstrated in the pages of Marvel Comics, the heroic squirrel sidekick "Tippy" would behold Galactus as a massive, ancient squirrel.
squirrel galactus
While this has been played for effect, for laughs, or for entertainment value alone, it ultimately communicates the more important aspects of Galactus: he is a cosmic, preternatural, and truly universal force, equally meaningful and connected to humans, rodents, bacteria, or any other form of life.
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Want richer context? Subscribe to our newsletter to unpack MCU vs. comics choices, character lore like Galactus' true nature, and thoughtful analysis that clarifies what the movie left unexplained. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.But in ignoring this aspect of Galactus as unnecessary, or perhaps too complicated for an MCU audience, the villain's depiction in The Fantastic Four: First Steps is of yet another alien big bad. He might be the biggest of the bads, but nevertheless misses the point entirely, robbing the MCU of its own version of the true Galactus in the process.
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The Fantastic Four: First Steps
10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed PG-13 Science Fiction Adventure Action Release Date July 25, 2025 Runtime 115 minutes Director Matt Shakman Writers Jeff Kaplan, Josh Friedman, Ian Springer, Eric Pearson, Kat Wood, Jack Kirby, Stan Lee Producers Kevin Feige
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Pedro Pascal
Reed Richards / Mister Fantastic
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Vanessa Kirby
Sue Storm / Invisible Woman
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