With Jonathan Majors left from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Kang’s future in the studio is still up for grabs. However, the clouded reception of Kang in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, prompts the question of whether Marvel Studios will go ahead with re-casting opportunities or entirely do away with Kang as the main supervillain. If the latter, the rumors of Kang being replaced with Galactus via The Fantastic Four, could be its next big gamble.

As The Fantastic Four prepares to launch MCU’s Phase 5, Galactus is all set to emerge as the harbinger of chaos. Hence, here are four reasons Galactus might become a bigger malevolent sensation than Kang.

Galactus is a fictional cosmic entity that appeared first in Fantastic Four #48 and has since become a well-known arch-nemesis in the world of Marvel Comics. But what makes him more convincing than Kang as a villain? As the MCU progresses through the Multiverse Saga, every Kang variant encountered thus far has been defeated, diminishing his threat levels as he prepares to take the spotlight in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.

Unlike Galactus, described as "the physical metamorphosed embodiment of a cosmos," Kang's powers have been more limited. Moreover, in cinematic portrayals, Galactus has only been poorly represented in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, leaving ample room for redemption, particularly if he survives through The Fantastic Four. Apart from this, the MCU must not relegate Galactus to a single movie villain, as this approach risks creating stagnancy within their roster of antagonists. 

There are numerous examples of this archetype not being able to survive. However, if Galactus does survive, the future of the studio could exceed expectations. The Marvel Cinematic Universe has seen its fair share of one-and-done villains, which can diminish both the impact and memory of a character, as seen with forces like Ultron and Malekith. 

Applying the same logic to Galactus, however, would be dismissing his abilities as a planet-consuming, nearly omnipotent juggernaut who aims to maintain a balance in the multiverse's ecosystem. While not quite at the level of Thanos, Galactus is certainly a more significant threat than Kang. Therefore, his reintroduction into the MCU’s film slate would be a smart move for the creators.

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Besides this, another thread of tie could establish Galactus as the penultimate villain, unlike Kang through MCU’s Loki season 2. 

The MCU has successfully laid the groundwork for Galactus to become the franchise’s primary antagonist. Following his appearance in Loki season 2, where Loki is likened to He Who Remains, and Kang's defeat in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, his villainous stature can now be diminished in the broader context of multiverse conflicts.

The only remaining loose end is the Council of Kangs. Yet, considering Galactus’ immense malevolence, the council could easily be eradicated, paving the way for Galactus to formally assume the role of the main villain. And should Galactus do the same, there would be little room for contestation left for opposing this titan of evildoing. Furthermore, this will establish Galactus as a supreme being and serve as a convincing way to establish the level of his power.

Galactus’ inherent abilities already make him a significantly greater threat than Kang, who fails to evoke the same level of catastrophic fear. And since the MCU is setting up a multiversal event leading to Avengers: Secret Wars, the studio could harness Galactus’s heightened threat levels for a multiverse-wide catastrophe. This approach would not only integrate him seamlessly into the Multiverse Saga, but also establish him as a definitive benchmark for villainous energy in the MCU. Moreover, there exists a theory that could further clear the fog. 

The theory suggests that The Fantastic Four film might take place in an alternate universe to the mainline MCU’s Earth-616, which could facilitate Galactus’s universal traversal. And if makers manage to amp up his power from a planet-consuming entity to a universe-devouring one, justice will be served for MCU's lookout for an iconic antagonist. Now whether Galactus would be able to fill the shoes of Thanos is a far-fetched question, but given his powers, he could still compete with Thanos' formidability.

With the upcoming Deadpool & Wolverine, moreover, there is an opportunity to welcome a large set of heroes and antiheroes, making Galactus’ future as the primary antagonist even stronger. Hence, logically, there are more routes of connection beyond The Fantastic Four given the possibility of Deadpool’s crossover. Apart from this, there has been quite the contest among Hollywood A-listers, courtesy of a flurry of fan-casting, about who could replace Jonathan Majors as Kang.

As the MCU has not yet come up with their second-best choice till now, the rumors take it as a go-ahead for Galactus as the new main villain instead of Kang. However, not to forget that the lack of official confirmation often causes a downslope in fans' anticipation, they might have to hold their horses until the final public reveal. And since a lot depends on the makers, and if they find Galactus a better cause of mayhem than Kang, it is upon time to crown the designated evil-doer. Hence, it is now time to wait and watch if The Fantastic Four could initiate Ralph Ineson's permanent stay as MCU's point-blank cause of fear.

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What do you think of the reasons that could suit Galactus better than Kang as the ultimate villain of the MCU via The Fantastic Four? Let us know in the comments below!