Ralph Ineson joins The Fantastic Four cast as villain Galactus

Ralph Ineson is to play the villain Galactus in 'The Fantastic Four'.

The 54-year-old actor has joined the cast of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movie that is due to begin shooting in the UK this summer ahead of a July 2025 release.

Ralph joins a cast that includes Pedro Pascal (Mr. Fantastic), Vanessa Kirby (the Invisible Woman), Joseph Quinn (the Human Torch), Ebon Moss-Bachrach (the Thing) and Julia Garner (the Silver Surfer) as well as Paul Walter Hauser and John Malkovich in undisclosed roles.

Galactus is an intergalactic being who eats the life force of planets to sustain his energy.

The antagonist was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and first appeared in the Marvel Comics back in 1966.

Galactus made his big screen debut in the 2007 film 'Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer' in which he was depicted as a CGI-generated cosmic cloud – an appearance that did not impress fans.

Matt Shakman's upcoming film will mark the first time that 'The Fantastic Four' have been integrated into the MCU and Quinn recently brushed off any concerns that superhero fatigue could have an impact on the blockbuster's performance.

The 'Stranger Things' star told Entertainment Weekly: "I think that with the story of the Fantastic Four, it feels like we want to get this right.

"There are aspects of it that are very different to other Marvel films. That felt very compelling to me. And again, going back to who's involved, Matt (Shakman), of course, the director, I think is brilliant, and the cast, and I've read it and the script is brilliant. It's really brilliant. I'm delighted to have this opportunity."

Joseph added: "Superhero movies are movies about people. And if we're invested in the people and the characters and the peril and the spectacle, then that's why people go to the theatres to watch films. We're not just in for a penny; we're in for a pound with this one. We're going to go for it."