‘Fantastic Four: First Steps’ New Character Images Reveal Stunning Galactus Armor and Confirm Iconic Villain’s Appearance

New images for Fantastic Four: First Steps have revealed exciting details about some of the film’s key characters, including Galactus and a classic villain. Ralph Ineson plays Galactus, and fans will be happy to know his armor looks just like it does in the comics.

The size of Galactus is also mostly comic-accurate, though it’s tricky to pin down exactly since the character can change size at will in the comics. Still, viewers can expect him to be huge.

The trailers have given fans glimpses of Galactus’ massive form, showing parts like his boots and the back of his helmet. Director Matt Shakman shared, “It’s a big moment when the Fantastic Four get to see him for the first time, and I’d love for that to be the same for the audience.” Ralph Ineson admitted that the anticipation is thrilling but also a bit scary, saying it’s “slightly terrifying from my end.”

While Julia Garner played the Silver Surfer using motion capture, Ineson wore a full suit of armor and a helmet to portray the giant Galactus. His costume was so intense that he needed a special crew to help keep him cool during filming. To get into character, Ineson would even climb tall buildings to imagine what life might be like for a “14 billion-year-old cosmic vampire.”

Ineson describes Galactus as “an essential force of the universe,” whose role is to maintain balance across the cosmos. He explains, “Whatever is crawling around on the planet that he’s going to devour, it’s of no real consequence to him unless there is something he wants.”

The movie’s story adds a personal twist: Galactus is interested in Reed and Sue’s newborn baby. Shakman adds, “He’s willing to bargain. He did it with Shalla-Bal and he’s going to attempt to do it with the Fantastic Four.”

The new images also confirm that Paul Walter Hauser will be playing Harvey Elder, better known as Mole Man. The Mole Man is one of the Fantastic Four’s oldest enemies, first appearing in their very first comic in 1961. He’s a nuclear engineer who leads a race of underground creatures. In this movie, Harvey Elder isn’t just a villain; Shakman says he’s “really more of a union boss than a supervillain.”

Hauser described the comic version of Mole Man as “vicious and heinous and unrelenting,” but his character in the film is more complex. He said, “He is living sort of in the shadows like a villain would, but he’s also taking care of an entire race of people and trying to live his life without being bothered.”

The conflict with the Fantastic Four is political, according to Hauser: “It’s a power struggle, but within that, there are compromises and alliances made.” Shakman added that Mole Man “is all about community,” which explains why he has a good relationship with Sue. “They understand each other.”

Fans had guessed the presence of Mole Man for some time, especially after a set called Subterranea, his underground realm, was revealed almost a year ago.

Julia Garner’s Silver Surfer also got a fresh new look. Her character arrives on a sleek surfboard with a dark warning for the Fantastic Four and the world: Galactus is coming, and Earth is on his menu.

Even though she sounds cold at first, there’s a lot of feeling underneath. Shakman said, “This is someone who’s sacrificed a lot in order to save something in their past, and that is noble. So it’s kind of a classic anti-hero character.” He also mentioned that her story connects deeply with the movie’s themes about family.

The Silver Surfer carries guilt for her past actions, and Shakman explains, “There’s part of her speech that she’s been told to deliver, which is ‘Your planet is marked for death.’ And then there’s her own addition to it, where she says, ‘Hold your loved ones close. Speak the words you’ve been afraid to speak.’ Part of it is what she chooses to share because of her empathy, and part of it is what she has to do for her job.”

Fantastic Four: First Steps is set to premiere at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles on July 21, 2025, before its US release on July 25. This film will kick off Phase Six of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and a sequel is already in development.

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