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Fantastic Four villain Galactus loomed large over San Diego Comic-Con 2024… literally. Following Marvel’s surprise panel/screening for Deadpool & Wolverine on Thursday, the studio launched comic book-themed drone and fireworks into the San Diego night sky. Highlighting that show was the unmistakable silhouette of Marvel’s big bad purple planet-eater.
When Marvel’s proper panel rolled around on Saturday evening, however, it was clear that they had much bigger plans for Galactus than merely a light show. The studio’s presentation covered upcoming films Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, and Fantastic Four: First Steps. For the lattermost movie, studio head Kevin Feige and Fantastic Four director Matt Shakman warned that original footage didn’t yet exist because filming won’t begin until July 30 in the UK.
Still, Feige and company didn’t come as empty-haded as they initially pretended. Hall H attendees (including Den of Geek) were treated to some compelling test footage that was designed to capture the movie’s retro-futuristic vibe, complete with a thrilling space age score composed by Michael Giacchino.
All four stars appeared in the stylish clip, including Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm, and Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm. The footage presents Pascal’s Reed Richards in a white lab coat, teaching a group of students about his latest scientific contraption—a big laser-like structure. In keeping with the movie’s aesthetic, Pascal adopts a Mid-Atlantic accent akin to an old-timey newscaster or movie star of yesteryear.
Later on, we see imagery of the Fantastic Four’s Jetson-esque society, complete with flying cars (i.e. the Fantasticar) and an impressive spaceship. While wearing astronaut uniforms, Reed Richards introduces his friend Ben Grimm as the best pilot in the world. The footage also takes a detour to a cheery Dating Game-style gameshow called “Let’s Make a Match” where a young woman selects bachelor number three—whose silhouette is unmistakably that of Ben Grimm in his The Thing form.
But of course, the real showstopper was Galactus, as he was always destined to be. The final moments of the footage take place inside an office building in a 1960s skyscraper. Through the office’s many windows, we see as an enormous, purple-helmeted head draws close and fixates its car-sized eye on what’s going on inside.
As this was essentially test footage, the CGI used for Galactus was somewhat cartoonish but still crisp and instantly recognizable. He resembles the comic iteration of the character closely and his final design in the film will likely not be significantly different. Notably, Galactus does not speak in this clip, meaning we still do not know what Ralph Ineson’s vocal take on the character will sound like. Although if you’ve seen The Green Knight, you know to expect something appropriately terrifying.
During an evening of big time revelations and announcements for Marvel (Red Hulk! The Russo Brothers! RDJ is back!) Galactus still found a way to make it all about him.
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