Marvel's Fantastic Four Casts Ralph Ineson As Planet-Eating Villain Galactus

Kang who? The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been searching for its next Thanos-level big bad for quite some time now and, while Plan A had to be thrown out the window following actor Jonathan Majors' allegations, Plan B appears to be rounding into form quite nicely. With Kevin Feige appearing to put all his eggs in the "Fantastic Four" basket, officially assembling a core cast made up of Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn as Marvel's First Family, it was only a matter of time before word leaked out regarding which name-brand actor would step up to take on the physically imposing role of Galactus himself, the Devourer of Worlds.

That time has finally come, as first reported by The Hollywood Reporter. We now know that Ralph Ineson ('"The Witch," "Game of Thrones," "The First Omen") has answered the call to suit up as the Fantastic Four's biggest and baddest foe in the MCU reboot of the classic property. This wouldn't be the first time we've seen the supervillain appear in live action, of course, although most fans would rather forget his forgettable introduction in 2007's "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer." Given Feige's track record of setting past wrongs right, it's probably safe to say that Galactus won't likely resemble a giant cloud in space this time around. Read on for more details below!

Just when we thought we were out, Marvel pulls us back in. Even as Disney pulls back on the reins a bit and decreases the yearly output for the popular superhero franchise — a tacit admission that quantity had begun to supersede concerns over quality — this news involving quite a name-brand star should invigorate a fanbase that's been waiting for something to cheer about again.

With Ineson reportedly set to play Galactus, Marvel's new take on "The Fantastic Four" is shaping up to be a busy affair. We already strongly suspected that the buzzy title would be set in the 1960s, allowing the movie to line up with the original comics and introduce the team to a world that hasn't already been desensitized to the presence of superheroes. There's also the fact that the story will somehow find room to include the fabled Silver Surfer, albeit a much different version than most audiences expected: As we learned previously, Marvel has cast "Ozark" star Julia Garner as Shalla-Bal. The unexpected casting further hints at the idea of a multiversal storyline and makes Galactus' role all the more intriguing, although exact plot details remain firmly under wraps.

For the time being, all we know for certain is that this formidable cast will be in the hands of "WandaVision" director Matt Shakman and that the film will fly into theaters on July 25, 2025.