If The MCU Nails Celestials, Galactus Just Might Work

Eternals, the third film in Phase 4 of the MCU, could be the perfect film to assess the possible introduction of Galactus to the franchise, perhaps as the next Thanos-level villain in the next Fantastic Four reboot. Directed by Chloé Zhao and featuring a stellar cast including Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Kumail Nanjiani, and Angelina Jolie, Eternals will be the first ensemble film of Phase 4 appearing at a vital junction for the MCU. Eternals promises to raise the stakes and expand the MCU further than ever before, truly establishing what the universe will look like post-Endgame.

The Eternals are a group of immortal god-like beings who have lived on Earth for thousands of years as silent protectors of humanity. The final trailer explains that the Eternals were sent to Earth to protect humanity from Deviants. Both Eternals and Deviants were created by Celestials, a race of ancient beings who possess the power to manipulate energy and matter. Not much has been revealed about Celestials thus far, but they should sound familiar; the planet Ego was a Celestial being, and Knowhere, the mining colony from Guardians of the Galaxy, was the severed head of a Celestial. While the Deviants have been hinted at as the main threat in Eternals, the spot for an overarching villain who will tie the movies of Phase 4 (and perhaps even Phase 5) together remains unclaimed. Could Galactus be that villain?

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Widely known as one of the most powerful beings in the Marvel Universe, Galactus is a cosmic entity that consumes entire planets in order to sustain his life force. Known as the Devourer of Worlds, Galactus has appeared previously in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, though his reception by audiences was somewhat lacking. Fans are hopeful that the next Fantastic Four reboot will include Galactus, though hopefully in a more accurate and lasting way than in the past. Whether or not audiences will remain on board for the MCU’s coming shift to narratives of a more cosmic nature remains to be seen. The introduction of the Celestials in Eternals is an opportunity for the studio to assess their audiences’ engagement with this shift and determine how likely fans are to embrace Galactus as an overarching franchise villain moving forward.

The scope of a villain such as Galactus is massive- larger even than Thanos or Kang. His actions help maintain the balance of cosmic powers in the universe, thus making his existence necessary and defeat more so a temporary avoidance of his wrath. Ultimately, Galactus pushes the envelope on the cosmic storytelling that the MCU is building. The way that Galactus is eventually brought to life on-screen depends on how Eternals manages the Celestials. If the studio can introduce these multiversal, cosmic elements gradually and in a way that ensures audiences understand the more complex elements at play, then Galactus has huge potential, not only for future Fantastic Four films but for the next phases of the MCU.

Eternals could even go so far as to allude to the existence of Galactus, much in the same way that Thanos made his first appearance in a post-credit scene of The Avengers. It is, however, more likely that Galactus will make his first MCU appearance in the third Fantastic Four reboot, which is a great opportunity for the franchise to capitalize on. Certainly, a lot rides on Eternals‘ handling of the mysterious Celestials, which will hopefully set a precedent for how Celestials might operate in future films and prove that audiences will be able to keep up with the more mind-boggling elements of Marvel lore.

More: Kit Harington’s Eternals Character Is Important For MCU Phase 4

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