MCU Rumor: Marvel Wants Javier Bardem As Fantastic Four's Main Villain, Galactus

With the SAG-AFTRA strike resolved, Marvel Studios is moving full speed ahead on getting the upcoming "Fantastic Four" reboot cast. It's heavily rumored that Pedro Pascal will play Reed Richards, and there are various other rumors of who will fill out the rest of Marvel's first family. Now, there's another major potential development, with The InSneider reporting that Marvel wants Academy Award winner Javier Bardem to play the villain Galactus. 

Similar to the Pascal situation, the thing keeping Bardem from being a done deal at this point is his schedule. Pascal has a full plate with "The Last of Us" Season 2 and "Gladiator 2" set to film. Bardem will star in an F1 racing movie from Apple opposite Brad Pitt. Plus, he has the release of "Dune: Part II" on the horizon, which he'll need to promote. Bardem is already known for playing incredible villains after his once-in-a-lifetime performance in "No Country for Old Men," and he recently worked with Disney playing King Triton in the live-action "Little Mermaid."

However, Galactus, as a cosmic entity who eats planets, could be largely a motion capture and voiceover role for Bardem, in which case "Fantastic Four" may not be as much of a time commitment for him. Again, this is merely a rumor at this point, and anything could change between now and when "Fantastic Four" starts filming. But getting Pedro Pascal and Javier Bardem in a superhero movie together is incredibly exciting to think about. 

In addition to the rumors of Pedro Pascal and Javier Bardem playing Reed Richards and Galactus, respectively, The InSneider also states whom Marvel is looking at for the rest of the main cast. The studio wants Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm. Without official confirmation from Marvel Studios, that line-up could easily change, but it's an incredibly talented wishlist.

And even if the casting of Bardem as Galactus doesn't pan out, it does offer a hint as to what the story for the new film could be. "Fantastic Four" will likely explore more of the cosmic side of the MCU, as has been the case with recent offerings, like "Eternals" and "The Marvels." And when Galactus is around, his herald, the Silver Surfer, shouldn't be far behind. The InSneider doesn't offer any ruminations on who might play the Silver Surfer, only saying that Marvel may gender-flip the Silver Surfer, making the character female. 

The fact that Galactus casting is ramping up also suggests any showing from Doctor Doom would likely be minimal. There's a chance Doctor Doom could be set up as the villain for the "Fantastic Four" sequel (or even an "Avengers" movie), but it seems like Galactus will be the central antagonistic focus. Pedro Pascal is one of the most popular actors on the internet right now, Vanessa Kirby is getting Oscar buzz for her role in "Napoleon," and Javier Bardem already has an Academy Award. It's clear Marvel wants the best of the best for this new cinematic version of the Fantastic Four, and hopefully, everything comes together.