How Marvel's Fantastic Four Could Change An Important MCU Story
Perhaps Thanos wasn't the one to destroy Xandar and instead, it was Galactus...
For Marvel Studios' take on the Fantastic Four, it's all but guaranteed the picture will feature the Devourer of Worlds, Galactus himself. In fact, it's already been rumored by some online that Antonio Banderas could be up for the role, one that will likely be involved in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for some time to come. Given the interconnected storytelling of all things MCU, what if creatives at the studio have already started laying the groundwork for Galactus' MCU arrival.
As it stands now, it's been mentioned Thanos (Josh Brolin) razed Xandar to get after the Power Stone. The Infinity Stone was stored there after the events of Guardians of the Galaxy, and was being looked over by members of the Nova Corps. With plenty of speculation suggesting Nova—the Human Rocket—will soon arrive in the MCU, it's only a matter of time before filmmakers revisit and address the situation; and that's where Galactus can come in.
Since What If...? and Loki have been introduced, Infinity Stones have been revealed as MacGuffins that aren't all too powerful in the grand scheme of the multiverse. Let's theorize it wasn't Thanos that managed to destroy the planet to get the Power Stone, but the planet was already destroyed by something.
Like Titan in front of it, perhaps Thanos arrived on the planet after it had already been razed...razed by none other than Galactus on his everlasting quest to satiate his hunger. In the history of Galactus' Heralds, there are three members of the Nova Corps that have become a Herald of Galactus, the character responsible for going to planets Galactus wants to consume and warning populations of their impending doom.
Throughout comics history, Frankie Raye, Firelord, and the Air-Walker have each been members of Nova Corps and a Herald of Galactus. Within the MCU, perhaps it was Galactus that put Xandar—the home of the Nova Corps—in such a state that allowed Thanos to freely arrive and retrieve the Power Stone. Not only what that result in the creation of Richard Rider's Nova, as has been rumored, but one of the other three Nova Corps characters could pick up the mantle of Herald during the same conquest.
The film is being directed by Matt Shakman from a script by MCU newcomers Josh Friedman, Jeff Kaplan and Ian Springer. The Fantastic Four movie is currently slated to hit theaters on May 2, 2025.
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