The primary trailer for Marvel Studios’ “The Unbelievable 4: First Steps” simply dropped, kicking off Part Six of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The highly-anticipated trailer gives us a glimpse of the movie’s Sixties retro-futurist setting, through which Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn), and Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) are seen navigating a number of superhero-related challenges. These 4 do-gooders will not be simply allies working collectively however one thing akin to a household, and every one in every of them has undergone a life-altering transformation after a sure incident that’s alluded to for just a few seconds. Earlier than the trailer dives into the crew’s superhero shenanigans, nevertheless, we’re handled to a candy second between Ben/The Factor and the humanoid experimental robotic H.E.R.B.I.E, who’re seen cooking dinner collectively on the Baxter Constructing.
Whereas we don’t see Reed in motion or utilizing his super-stretching powers on this trailer, we do see Sue flip invisible and Johnny launching himself within the sky whereas he is aflame. In the meantime, Ben is the one member of the Unbelievable 4 who’s completely altered after the incident that triggered the group’s superpowers, which is why he retains his (radioactive) brown rock-like look always. Nonetheless, if superheroes are required to flex their skills and save the native populace, meaning hassle is brewing someplace of their yard. Certain sufficient, we get a glimpse of the large unhealthy in “The Unbelievable 4: First Steps,” replete with the sky exploding as stated entity is seen looming over New York Metropolis. This Marvel villain is none apart from the cosmic being Galactus (Ralph Ineson), who is understood for consuming planetary life forces within the comics. However who precisely is that this highly effective villain and how much battle is likely to be brewing between him and the Unbelievable 4?
The Unbelievable 4 trailer is likely to be hinting at an ominous Galactus motive
Galactus was first launched in “Unbelievable 4 #48,” through which the comedian e-book’s titular group is warned concerning the cosmic being’s inevitable arrival on Earth. It’s value noting that Galactus isn’t any puny villain that may be simply overcome by brute power. Somewhat, he existed even earlier than the Huge Bang, and is among the most feared beings within the cosmos. Galactus can also be a planet devourer who has wiped complete civilizations utterly off the galactic map resulting from his ravenous starvation, appearing as a balancing pressure between Dying and Eternity (who’re likewise cosmic entities that function the bodily manifestations of those respective ideas within the Marvel Comics universe).
So, what’s Galactus doing right here on Earth, and might the Unbelievable 4 reach curbing his primordial starvation? The retro-futurist Sixties society of “The Unbelievable 4: First Steps” may be a evident trace that the film doesn’t happen on Earth-616 (the model of Earth from the MCU’s Sacred Timeline) in any respect. As a substitute, the movie could happen in a parallel timeline doomed to be invaded and devoured by Galactus — besides, that’s, for the titular 4, who will presumably discover themselves hurtled onto the 616 model of Earth in that occasion. It is not a far-fetched idea both; world-ending robotic drones often known as Gah Lak Tus have devoured all life-bearing planets of their path in Marvel’s comics and even merged with Galactus in Joshua Hale Fialkov’s “Starvation Vol. 11.”
Why is that this assimilation incident essential? To place it briefly, the “Starvation” comedian books are a part of Marvel’s “Cataclysm” collection, which takes place after a significant post-Ultron time-space rift that permits Galactus to journey to a model of Earth the place he can regenerate himself. And which model of Earth did Galactus initially come from earlier than his merger with the Gah Lak Tus? That is proper: Earth-616. If “First Steps” is certainly adapting features from this comedian e-book storyline, then it will make sense for the Unbelievable 4 to pressure Galactus again to Earth-616 and defeat him there, placing an finish to his damaging, unchecked habits.
“The Unbelievable 4: First Steps” is scheduled to open in theaters on July 25, 2025.
