MCU’s Fantastic Four Director on Why Galactus Is the Villain & Not Doctor Doom

Director Matt Shakman has disclosed that “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” won’t initially present Doctor Doom as its main antagonist, but rather save him for a future appearance in “Avengers: Doomsday”. In a discussion about his upcoming project, Shakman also hinted at Marvel’s innovative approach to introducing the infamous villain, offering fresh perspectives on their expanding multiverse scheme.

Matt Shakman reveals why Galactus was chosen as the villain over Doctor Doom

According to Matt Shakman in his interview with Entertainment Weekly, “Doom is an intriguing character, but he can be quite dominant. Previous film adaptations have tackled both the origin story and Doom. In our approach, we’re avoiding both, which gives us a unique vantage point to explore these characters in a new light.

In the upcoming Fantastic Four revamp, Marvel Studios has opted to hold off on Victor Von Doom’s debut until future movies instead. Robert Downey Jr., in an exciting twist, will embody Doom in the 2026 film, Avengers: Doomsday. This ensemble cast includes Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach reprising their roles. These changes reflect Marvel’s evolving narrative strategy for its Multiverse Saga, which has been reshaped since the title of Avengers: The Kang Dynasty was revised to Avengers: Doomsday following adjustments after production.

In contrast to past Fantastic Four movies that primarily featured Doom as the main antagonist, this decision signifies a change in approach. Previous films like those from 2005 and 2015 had Doom integrated into the team’s origin tale, but director Shakman decided to break away from this pattern. He highlighted the chance to explore fresh creative territory by not rehashing old stories, arguing that avoiding this pattern allowed for a more distinctive storyline when reintroducing the Fantastic Four.

Despite featuring Galactus in the series “First Steps,” Shakman deliberately steered clear of complete motion-capture technology, instead choosing to have an actor physically embody the character. In this case, Ralph Ineson dons practical armor for his portrayal.

Pedro Pascal, acting as Reed Richards, commented on the danger posed by Galactus as “a level of peril Reed has never encountered before.” He added that “even the most intelligent person in existence is left speechless by an entity that transcends their comprehension of time.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps will premiere on July 25, 2025.

Originally reported by Anubhav Chaudhry on SuperHeroHype.

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2025-04-11 15:10