If you believe the rumors, Pedro Pascal’s Reed Richards could face Javier Bardem’s Galactus in Fantastic Four

Fantastic Four rumors are coming in thick and fast. First, Pedro Pascal was heavily linked to the role of Reed Richards (AKA Mr. Fantastic), and now we know who he might be facing off against.

According to the Insneider, Javier Bardem is the “frontrunner” to play Galactus – but it’s a casting move that may be dependent on the No Country for Old Men actor’s schedule.

Introduced in 1966’s Fantastic Four #48, Galactus is a cosmic being that devours planets and energies across space, seemingly without rhyme and reason. He was infamously featured as a planet-sized cloud in 2007’s Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.

Slightly less concrete – and not yet confirmed by the trades or by Marvel Studios iteself – is that Pascal will be joined in Marvel’s First Family movie by Vanessa Kirby, with Stranger Things star Joseph Quinn and The Bear’s Ebon Moss-Bachrach playing The Human Torch and The Thing respectively.

For her part, Kirby recently addressed those Fantastic Four casting rumors in an interview with Variety.

"I don't know, you'll have to ask them," she said, adding: "I would be very honored to join."

Directed by WandaVision’s Matt Shakman, Fantastic Four is set for release on May 2, 2025. It’ll kick off Marvel Phase 6 and will be followed by Avengers: The Kang Dynasty in 2026 – a project that has just lost director Destin Daniel Cretton. In 2027, the Multiverse Saga draws to a close with Avengers: Secret Wars.

For more from the MCU, check out the full slate of upcoming Marvel movies.