After years of waiting and speculating, it appears that the casting announcements for Marvel’s next Fantastic Four film are finally coming out. Wednesday evening, it was reported that Pedro Pascal was in talks to play Reed Richards in the film. This news comes as Vanessa Kirby is heavily rumored to play Sue Storm.

Still, the rumor mill continues to swirl. And while we originally heard that Antonio Banderas was being courted for the role of Galactus, it appears that there’s another actor in the running as well.

According to industry insider Jeff Sneider, Academy Award-winner Javier Bardem is reportedly Marvel Studio’s top choice for the Eater of Worlds.

Having previously played the antagonist in the last Pirates of the Caribbean Movie and King Triton in the live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid, it’s fair to say that Bardem is obviously no stranger to Disney.

Sneider indicates that Bardem is Marvel’s top choice, but because Marvel or any of the major trades have yet to confirm this, as always, we urge you to take this news with a grain of salt.

READ: RUMOR – ‘Stranger Things’ Star Joseph Quinn Eyed For New ‘Fantastic Four’

The last we heard, the film isn’t on track to begin shooting until next year, but with the current strikes, it is likely a production shift is possible. Writing duo Jeff Kaplan and Ian Springer were also replaced by Avatar scribe Josh Friedman. Matt Shakman (WandaVision) is set to direct. Moon Knight producers Grant Curtis and Nick Pepin are also on board.

Fantastic Four is currently expected to hit theaters on May 2, 2025.