Why does Galactus look so small in The Fantastic Four: First Steps teaser? Reasons explored

The Fantastic Four: First Steps teaser has finally been out in the world after a series of speculations about its release date. Marvel fans wondered whether it would end up during Super Bowl LIX or show up earlier, as suggested in a broadcast schedule. Finally, the first official teaser has come out on Marvel's official online handles, and it shows the new cast wearing the superhero suits of Marvel's First Family.

The trailer offers a glimpse into the film's retro-futuristic look of characters Susan Storm, Reed Richards, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm. It appears like a revamp for the MCU in its overall look, which might be a deliberate strategic decision after the issues with the studio's recent offerings. The Fantastic Four: First Steps looks characteristically different as it blends elements from a bygone era with some advanced technology.

Besides a new look for their superhero universe, the teaser also offers a glimpse of its central villain, Galactus. The teaser shows him briefly as he appears from the back, towering over New York City, hoping to engulf it as presumably intended in the comics. So, the franchise's devoted fanbase might be wondering whether his size is faithful to the Marvel Comics. For some people, the character looks smaller than what the comics suggest. The Marvel fans took a crack at explaining why.

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Galactus' size in The Fantastic Four: First Steps: Why does he look so small in the trailer?

The Fantastic Four: First Steps' first look has got people talking for a number of reasons. Of course, it has to do with seeing its new cast in the superhero suits for the first time. However, people are also getting the first look at the villain - Galactus. Notoriously considered to be planet-sized, Galactus seems smaller to many fans. So, they took it online to share their dissatisfaction.

Soon, some other fans reported that Galactus's size changes depending on the situation and the individual in front of him.

On a Reddit thread, another fan briefly explained the history of Galactus' size changes through different iterations.

While keeping all of this in mind, Galactus' size in the trailer appears logically faithful to the comic-book versions. He can shrink or increase his size based on a given situation as he consumes the planets. So, his physical attributes are prone to be flexible.

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The Fantastic Four: First Step: More details revealed

The Fantastic Four: First Steps teaser serves as an introduction to these four heroes in the Marvel universe and is enough to make people giddy and nostalgic for different reasons. It also feels significant since the film aesthetically departs from the recent Marvel projects. Captain Marvel or Ant-Man and the Wasp underperformed for different reasons.

Eventually, Deadpool & Wolverine breathed fresh air into their universe and gave it a new comedic spin. Unlike the self-serious tone of some previous projects, it poked fun at itself and embraced its hilarious quirks instead of shying away from them. The Fantastic Four: First Steps feels like a new beginning for this universe, with a good balance between drama and comedy. Its official synopsis reads:

“Set against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: First Steps introduces Marvel’s First Family — Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm/Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm/Human Torch (Joseph Quinn), and Ben Grimm/The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) as they face their most daunting challenge yet. Forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, they must defend Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer (Julia Garner). And if Galactus’ plan to devour the entire planet and everyone on it weren’t bad enough, it suddenly gets very personal.”

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The Fantastic Four: First Steps is scheduled to be out in the United States on July 25, 2025.