Huge Fantastic Four Theory Explains Galactus' True Identity & Breaks The MCU Wide Open

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The Fantastic Four: First Steps could reveal Galactus" true identity and change the MCU in a big way, if this Marvel theory is to be believed. As the release date for The Fantastic Four: First Steps edges closer, Marvel Studios is delving into the marketing for the film. Be it a larger focus on The Fantastic Four: First Steps" cast and their interactions or teases of their involvement in Avengers: Doomsday, the marketing for the project is kicking into high gear.
This was evident by the release of a new trailer for The Fantastic Four: First Steps, released in April 2025. The trailer included some big reveals for the upcoming MCU movie, from the first look at the Silver Surfer or bigger teases of Galactus" villainous role. Since then, theories have been crafted about Galactus" inclusion in the film. One of these theories links to another major element shown in The Fantastic Four: First Steps" trailer, which reveals the true identity of Galactus and promises a massive impact on the MCU multiverse.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps Introduces Galactus And Teases Franklin Richards Two Major Fantastic Four Characters Are Coming To The MCU Close As already alluded to, The Fantastic Four: First Steps will introduce Galactus to the MCU. Firstly, it is worth exploring who or what Galactus is before delving into the theory about his identity. In Marvel Comics, Galactus is a cosmic entity who can change his size at will. Galactus feeds on the life force of planets across the cosmos, draining them in order to sustain himself. Oftentimes, Galactus sends heralds such as the Silver Surfer to these planets to warn them of his arrival, with his immense size and power making him an incredibly difficult villain to defeat.

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Posts Galactus will be the main villain of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, with the team searching for a way to save Earth from his hunger. Moreover, the team has more personal stakes in the fight against Galactus, as confirmed by the most recent trailer for the film. The trailer teased Franklin Richards" Fantastic Four: First Steps inclusion thanks to the reveal that Sue Storm is pregnant. Franklin is the eldest son of Reed and Sue in the comics and an immeasurably powerful mutant who has the ability to rewrite reality at will, alongside his intense psionic powers.
MCU Fantastic Four Theory: First Steps' Galactus Is Actually Franklin Richards Tying The Villain To The Titular Team

With both Franklin Richards and Galactus being teased as big parts of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, a theory has been crafted that ties the two together. This theory claims that Galactus" true identity is a future version of Franklin himself. In Marvel Comics, there is a precedent for Franklin Richards traveling through time with his incredible psionic powers. As a result, this theory claims that Franklin from the future, as Galactus, traveled back to the time of The Fantastic Four: First Steps to destroy Earth and his former self.
This could explain why Galactus appears to Earth at the same time as Sue Storm finds out she is pregnant, with the future version of Franklin wanting to kill his younger self...
Franklin Richards is known as one of the most powerful beings in the entire Marvel Comics universe, meaning Galactus could fear that a version of the character could thwart him. This could explain why Galactus appears to Earth at the same time as Sue Storm finds out she is pregnant, with the future version of Franklin wanting to kill his younger self to remove the possibility of the latter defeating the former. The regular rules of time travel would not matter in this scenario, as Franklin"s reality-warping powers could make Galactus exist without his younger self.
The 'Galactus Is Franklin Richards' Theory Has Marvel Comics Precedent Based On A Specific Comic Book Run

To make this theory even more interesting, Franklin Richards spent time as Galactus at one point in Marvel Comics. During the Earth X storyline, Franklin became Galactus as a means of keeping the Celestial population of the universe in check. Franklin, losing all memory of his former life, became Galactus and began devouring planets that housed unborn Celestials. Interestingly, there are some connections between the Earth X Marvel Comics storyline and the teases of The Fantastic Four: First Steps" Silver Surfer and Galactus.

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Posts 152 In the MCU, the Silver Surfer will be Shalla-Bal. Shalla-Bal was part of the aforementioned Earth X storyline as the lover of the original Silver Surfer, Norrin Radd. However, in this comic book storyline, Shalla-Bal was made a Silver Surfer herself as one of the heralds of Franklin Richards" Galactus. Therefore, The Fantastic Four: First Steps" inclusion of Shalla-Bal"s Silver Surfer could mean that Galactus is Franklin Richards after all. While this theory is admittedly somewhat farfetched, some pieces of evidence could see it come true in The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
Galactus Being Franklin Richards Has Major Implications For The MCU The MCU Could Be Changed Forever Close Beyond what this theory would mean for The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Franklin Richards being revealed as Galactus would have big implications for the wider MCU. For one, this theory would allow time travel to be introduced to the franchise. Although Avengers: Endgame included a time travel storyline, this was established via the Quantum Realm and involved alternate universes rather than time travel in a traditional sense. If Franklin Richards is revealed as Galactus, the potential time travel element of the story means the concept will be properly part of the MCU.
If this theory comes true, it will also mark one of the few times that a major Marvel hero has been depicted as a villain. The biggest example of this happening in the MCU was in 2022"s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, with Scarlet Witch becoming a multiversal villain. If Franklin Richards follows suit, though potentially with less control/memory over his actions, two big mutant heroes would have become MCU villains.

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Posts 24 Finally, Franklin Richards" potential storyline in The Fantastic Four: First Steps could set up the story of Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. The latter expected to follow the Marvel Comics storyline of the same name, with the former setting the foundations for this, in which Franklin Richards" reality-warping powers helped fix the multiverse. By setting up how powerful these abilities could be in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, an integral part of the upcoming Avengers movies could be established.

Like Follow Followed The Fantastic Four: First Steps Not Yet Rated Adventure Sci-Fi Superhero Release Date July 25, 2025 Director Matt Shakman Writers Jeff Kaplan, Josh Friedman, Ian Springer, Eric Pearson, Jack Kirby, Stan Lee Producers Jamie Christopher, Kevin Feige, Louis D'Esposito, Tim Lewis Franchise(s) Marvel Cinematic Universe Cast See All