For some, the crop of 2025 movies from July could be summed up with a word: “SuperFantastic.” So maybe that’s more of a portmanteau, but with DC and Marvel putting forth hopeful narratives of optimism, that means you have to have some pretty nasty villains for balance. The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ Ralph Ineson and Superman’s Nicholas Hoult definitely both fit the bill, even if their conversation on which arch-nemesis is the bigger threat is a heroic effort of one-upmanship among friends.
The Nosferatu co-stars apparently had quite the discussion, as Ineson shared with THR. While promoting the upcoming Marvel movie, the man who represents Galactus shared the following exchange that he and Hoult had engaged in on the matter:
We actually had a text conversation this morning about it. I sent him something off social media that said that he gave the all-time greatest superhero villain performance, and I said, ‘Hold my beer.’ He then laughed and said, ‘It’s hardly fair. You’re a cosmic entity; I’m just a guy.’ And I said, ‘Fair enough, but I am fighting four of them.’ (Laughs.) And then he said something like, ‘But I get an upset tummy when I eat spicy food.’ So I think he’s given up on the man-on-demigod battle.
How Kevin Smith wasn’t present for this conversation is beyond me, as this is the sort of deep fried comic debate that dude seems to live for. Though I think he'd also give the edge to “the devourer of worlds” in this round of “what if…” I mean, this is a Marvel antagonist with an $80 popcorn bucket, and that's nothing to sneeze at.
All of the positive fan reactions to Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor wouldn’t amount to anything when standing face to face with a baddie that can eat your homeworld like a cosmic TV dinner. If we’re going by performance over powers, I’d have to say that it’s definitely a more even match.
Of course, some would probably want to compare stories such as Ralph Ineson’s preparation to play Galactus with any sort of commentary that the Superman nemesis may have provided. Which only opens the can of worms again, and at a time when Fantastic Four: First Steps is about to hit theaters.
Perhaps this is the best sort of publicity for both director Matt Shakman’s MCU entry and helmer James Gunn’s DCU kickoff. Both movies will need that sort of buzz in their own way, with Superman’s impressive box office milestones about to be challenged by the First Family of Heroes.
We’ll see how things shake out soon enough, as today’s early showings of The Fantastic Four: First Steps will truly make the box office a SuperFantastic place to be. So be sure to take good notes, if you’re looking to jump into the “Lex vs. Galactus” debate.
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