THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS Featurette Reveals Galactus’ Practical Costume and More Awesome Behind the Scenes Details
Marvel Studios has shared a brand-new featurette for The Fantastic Four: First Steps, giving fans an inside look at how the highly anticipated MCU film is coming together. The video showcases the incredible craftsmanship behind the movie’s practical effects, including real-world sets, a scaled-down Excelsior spaceship, and most exciting of all, the practical costume worn by Ralph Ineson as Galactus.
Filmmaker Matt Shakman made it clear early on that he wanted this film to feel tangible. Rather than relying entirely on CGI, his team built elaborate sets and practical elements to ground Marvel’s First Family in a world that feels lived in. That included creating a physical suit for Galactus, which appears briefly in the footage, though Marvel still isn’t giving us a full look at the villain’s face.
Costume designer Alexandra Byrne faced one of the most ambitious challenges of her career with Galactus’ design. The armor had to be crafted with extreme precision so it would maintain its authenticity when digitally scaled up for the towering cosmic entity. “Every detail needed to be meticulously crafted so that when it was enlarged, it still felt completely real,” Byrne explained.
Ryan Meinerding, Marvel’s head of visual development, added: “Galactus and his armor should resemble a spaceship itself. This idea helped shape the design — Galactus could be both a living being and a giant spaceship.” The result is one of the largest and most intricate costumes ever constructed for a Marvel film.
Filming Galactus was like working with a massive miniature. The production team used extensive lighting to capture every detail, but that created intense heat inside the suit. To keep Ineson comfortable between takes, the costume was fitted with a personal air conditioning unit because even world-eating titans need to cool down.
The featurette also includes glimpses of new footage, including a jaw-dropping shot of Galactus wreaking havoc in New York City. If you’ve been wondering how Marvel plans to bring the Devourer of Worlds to life, this behind-the-scenes look makes it clear they’re aiming for something monumental.
You can check out the full featurette for The Fantastic Four: First Steps below. The movie is set to be released in theaters on July 25, 2025.