2025 is shaping up to be a monumental year for Marvel across various platforms, but no project carries as much weight or anticipation as *The Fantastic Four: First Steps*. This film not only marks the beginning of Phase 6 in the MCU but also introduces Pedro Pascal’s Reed Richards alongside his superhero family. With any luck, the long wait for a genuinely outstanding *Fantastic Four* movie might finally be nearing its end.
Things are looking promising based on the recently unveiled teaser trailer for *First Steps*. It offers a closer look at the core quartet and provides our first glimpse of antagonists like Ralph Ineson’s Galactus and John Malkovich’s mysterious character. However, one burning question remains for many fans—where exactly is Robert Downey, Jr.’s Doctor Doom? Let’s dissect what we do and don’t see in this new trailer.
Where Is Robert Downey, Jr.’s Doctor Doom?
Marvel made waves at last year’s San Diego Comic-Con with the announcement that *The Avengers 5* had been renamed *The Avengers: Doomsday* and that Doctor Doom would be portrayed by none other than Robert Downey, Jr. Despite the rich history between Doom and Iron Man in the comics, this was an unexpected twist. Naturally, fans are curious about how the *Fantastic Four* movie ties into setting up Doom as the next major Avengers-level threat.
Unsurprisingly, Marvel Studios is keeping things tightly under wraps. The teaser doesn’t offer any clear hints about Doom’s presence. If anything, it underscores how different an approach *First Steps* is taking compared to its predecessors. Julian McMahon’s Doom was a central villain in both the 2005 *Fantastic Four* and the 2007 sequel *Rise of the Silver Surfer*. Toby Kebbell’s Doom played a pivotal role in the 2015 reboot. This time, however, Marvel Studios seems to be downplaying Doom in favor of focusing on Galactus, Silver Surfer, and… John Malkovich? More on him shortly.
We can assume *First Steps* will play some part in establishing Doom. After all, he’s primarily a *Fantastic Four* villain. Plus, this is one of the final MCU films before *Avengers: Doomsday* arrives in May 2026. Surely they’ll include something to hint at the next great Avengers adversary, right?
The main question we hope *First Steps* answers is which universe Downey’s Doom originates from. He clearly isn’t from Earth-616, given the casting choice. But does Doom also belong to the *Fantastic Four: First Steps* universe? Is this a world where Tony Stark’s life took a darker turn? Or is he from another reality entirely? Even if Doom only appears in a post-credits scene, we’re hoping *First Steps* clarifies who this character is and why he’s targeting the MCU’s Avengers.
But whatever role Doom ends up playing in *First Steps*, whether as a supporting villain or a brief cameo, he won’t steal the spotlight. For now, the Fantastic Four have far bigger challenges to tackle. Literally.
The Fantastic Four vs. Galactus
The teaser makes it abundantly clear which villain will dominate the Fantastic Four’s attention in this movie. They’ll be going head-to-head with Galactus, the self-proclaimed Devourer of Worlds. Galactus is voiced by *Game of Thrones’* Ralph Ineson.
Galactus is among the many iconic Marvel characters created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. He first appeared in 1966’s *Fantastic Four #48*, kicking off the so-called “Galactus Trilogy.” In that storyline, Galactus and his herald, the Silver Surfer, arrive to consume the planet, forcing the Fantastic Four to take drastic measures to fend off their larger-than-life foe.
Later Marvel stories have expanded on Galactus’ backstory and his role in the cosmic hierarchy. He was once a mortal named Galan of Taa. As one of the few survivors of the previous, pre-Big Bang version of the Marvel Universe, Galan merged with an energy known as the Sentience of the Universe and transformed into Galactus. Since then, he’s roamed the cosmos, searching for life-rich planets to satisfy his insatiable hunger.
Galactus isn’t exactly a supervillain; rather, he serves a necessary cosmic function. His act of consuming worlds contributes to the cycle of death and rebirth in the Marvel Universe. That fact offers little comfort to anyone residing on a planet targeted by Galactus, though.
*First Steps* appears to draw inspiration from the classic Galactus Trilogy. The movie seems to depict a version of the FF who are already well-established and beloved by the public. Now, they face their greatest challenge yet in the form of a cosmic devourer intent on consuming their world.
The question is how far Reed and his family will go to save Earth from destruction. In the comics, Reed threatens Galactus with the Ultimate Nullifier, a handheld device capable of destroying and reshaping the multiverse itself. Will we see the Ultimate Nullifier in the film, and could it tie into the broader conflict of the Multiverse Saga and the phenomenon of Incursions?
One thing is certain: *First Steps* is adopting a more comic-book-inspired portrayal of Galactus than what we saw in *Rise of the Silver Surfer*. That film depicted Galactus as a hurricane-like cloud, whereas here we see Galactus in humanoid form towering over the Statue of Liberty. Expect him to be more of an actual character this time rather than merely a force of nature, hence the decision to cast Ineson.
While we catch a few glimpses of Galactus in the teaser, we don’t see his herald. Julia Garner has been cast as Silver Surfer in the movie. Silver Surfer also debuted in *Fantastic Four #48*, introduced as a scout searching for new planets for his master to feed on. Over the course of the story, however, Silver Surfer sympathizes with Earth and joins the FF in opposing Galactus. This paved the way for Silver Surfer to become a recurring hero in the Marvel Universe, eventually starring in his own solo comic book series.
Though *First Steps* opts for a gender-swapped version of Silver Surfer, the fundamentals likely remain the same. Silver Surfer will begin as Galactus’ herald, but encountering Earth will awaken memories of her mortal life on Zenn-La, prompting her to rebel against her master. Essentially, expect a similar character arc to Laurence Fishburne’s Silver Surfer in the 2007 movie.
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