Forget About the Next Thanos, Marvel’s Galactus “Disappointment” Is What the MCU Needs More Of

by

Even six years after his defeat in Avengers: Endgame, Thanos still sets the standard for villains in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He’s widely considered the most formidable enemy the Avengers have ever fought, and all future villains will be compared to him. Beyond just being a strong opponent, Thanos established a new expectation for Avengers villains: they need a complex, long-term plan that unfolds over several movies and phases.

Ever since Thanos was defeated, fans and Marvel Studios have been discussing who the next major villain would be. Initially, Kang the Conqueror was planned to be the big threat throughout the Multiverse Saga, appearing in multiple films and shows before a showdown with the Avengers. However, after Jonathan Majors was let go due to legal issues, Marvel changed course and is now focusing on Doctor Doom, who is confirmed to appear in both Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.

Galactus stood between these villains, offering potential for a truly epic storyline – not just because his initial appearance in The Fantastic Four: First Steps made him seem less imposing than expected. His power level is significantly higher, making him a credible threat for the Avengers over several films. While fans hoped for a longer arc and were let down by his defeat in the first Fantastic Four movie (at least for now), that shouldn’t be viewed negatively. The MCU actually needs more storylines like this – where powerful threats are handled in unexpected ways.

Marvel Just Needs Good Villains (Whether They Return Or Not)

Galactus was an ideal villain for the new Fantastic Four movie. He’s one of the team’s most iconic enemies, alongside Doctor Doom, and presents a unique challenge. Unlike simply ‘evil’ villains, Galactus is a powerful cosmic force – a being who exists on a different plane. Defeating him requires both intelligence and strength. Given the MCU’s current unpredictability and the Fantastic Four’s past struggles to succeed in film, introducing Galactus was a bold but smart move to make a strong impression.

Honestly, this is exactly what Marvel needs to do more of, even with the big team-up movies like the Avengers. For me, it all comes down to having compelling villains within the story they’re telling. It’s great if those villains can become larger threats down the line, but even if they don’t, a strong villain makes for a strong movie. It’s how they started with the original Avengers! Think about Loki – he’d only been in one movie before The Avengers, wasn’t built up as this huge, overarching villain, and yet he remains one of their best antagonists. Ultron wasn’t quite as successful, but the problem wasn’t that he lacked setup or future appearances – it was more about issues with the script and how the movie was made, specifically with Age of Ultron.

Thanos wasn’t initially conceived as the major villain he became. He first appeared in a post-credits scene of an earlier movie simply to explain the origin of Loki’s scepter. At that time, the overarching ‘Infinity Saga’ storyline hadn’t been planned, which is why a seemingly important line about his fate was never addressed later on.

Marvel currently needs to prioritize making truly good movies. While having a long-term plan is useful, it’s more important to deliver consistently strong films, especially given recent challenges. They need to recapture the quality they consistently achieved before Endgame. Instead of focusing on complex, multi-movie arcs for villains like Kang, it would be better to introduce impactful characters with simpler stories – think more standalone, powerful villains like Galactus, rather than villains requiring extensive build-up.

Galactus returning could be fantastic, especially for a future Fantastic Four story. There’s a wealth of comic book material to work with, and the team just recently faced him, meaning the stakes could still be incredibly high. However, even if he doesn’t appear again, the recent story featuring him and the Silver Surfer was unique – something no other Fantastic Four movie has ever achieved.

I hope they continue using this strategy with Doctor Doom in both Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars, taking big risks with his character to allow for a potential return later on. He isn’t the next Thanos – he hasn’t been built up over a long period like that, only appearing in one movie this year. And while he might be the villain in the final movie of the Multiverse Saga, he isn’t the main villain throughout the entire saga. That’s perfectly fine, though.

As a huge movie fan, I always thought Thanos really worked as a villain in Infinity War and Endgame because even without knowing everything that happened before, you totally understood why he was doing what he did – his motivations and the danger he presented were clear. I think the same could be possible with a character like Doom, but it really comes down to strong writing within those films themselves, and honestly, that’s more important than a long, drawn-out backstory. I’d actually love to see the Avengers face more standalone threats and adventures. It feels like everything has to build to this massive culmination now, and I think we’d get better stories if they didn’t try to tie up so many loose ends. Maybe we’ll see that in Phase 7? But let’s see how Doomsday and Secret Wars play out first.

The movie Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled to come out on December 18, 2026, and Avengers: Secret Wars will follow on December 17, 2027. You can now watch The Fantastic Four: First Steps on Disney+.

What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!

https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/best-mcu-villains-thanos-kingpin-vulture-thunderbolts/embed/#

Read More

2025-11-14 02:44