The first trailer for Marvel’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps was recently released, and we got a glimpse of Galactus. He appears to be searching for something or someone in the F4’s 1960s retro-futuristic world. Yes, it is Franklin Richards, the son of Reed Richards and Sue Storm, that Galactus is searching for.
In the January 2025 Discord Q&A with Alex Perez (via The Cosmic Circus), it was revealed that in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Galactus is on a mission to rebuild his old universe, and he believes Franklin Richards can help him do that.
According to Alex, the universe in The Fantastic Four: First Steps will differ from the 616 MCU, beyond the 60s setting and retrofuturistic style. He also teased that the movie mentions the “5th dimension.”
In the film, Shalla-Bal will play a conflicted antagonist, much like Galactus. However, it’s likely she won’t appear after this movie.
In the leaked plot details, we have already revealed that Galactus will be enraged and begin to destroy the Earth of this retro-futuristic universe (and destroy it completely).
The film stars Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/Human Torch, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing, Paul Walter Hauser, John Malkovich, Natasha Lyonne, and Sarah Niles.
The plot of The Fantastic Four: First Steps is as follows:
Set against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, The Fantastic Four: First Steps introduces Marvel’s First Family—Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Johnny Storm/Human Torch, and Ben Grimm/The Thing—as they face their most daunting challenge yet. Forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, they must defend Earth from a ravenous space god named Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer (Julia Garner). And if Galactus’ plan to devour the entire planet and everyone on it weren’t bad enough, things suddenly get very personal.
Filming wrapped in Spain in December 2024, and the movie is now in the post-production stage. Matt Shakman directs the film from a script penned by Jeff Kaplan and Ian Springer, which has undergone a rewrite by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber.
The film is produced by Kevin Feige, Grant Curtis, and Nick Pepin.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps will hit theaters and IMAX on July 25, 2025.
