Denzel Washington isn’t going to start eating planets anytime soon. According to The Direct, the Equaliser star rejected the role of Marvel’s biggest bad guy, Galactus, in the Fantastic Four relaunch in 2025. According to industry expert Grace Randolph, Disney officially gave Washington the post but declined for unclear reasons.
According to huge Freakin Robot, Marvel Studios is already in talks with Puss in Boots star Antonio Banderas to play the vast purple planet muncher, which could signal that the Spanish actor was offered the role after Washington. With neither Marvel nor Disney wanting to comment on either rumor just yet, it’s difficult to confirm, especially given Randolph’s track record with Hollywood leaks.
Denzel Washington
If the rumor is true, it means Denzel Washington turned down the biggest role of his career thus far. Of course, not in terms of prestige, but in terms of physical size.
Galactus stands 28 feet 9 inches tall, making him the tallest character Denzel Washington has ever played in cinema. The cosmic behemoth isn’t just massive. He, too, is hungry. Galactus’ moniker is the Devourer of Worlds, and he accomplishes precisely that on a regular basis, much to the dismay of the Marvel universe’s heroes.
The good news about Denzel Washington declining the role of Galactus is that it frees him up to play the Fantastic Four’s other major enemy, Doctor Doom, which is more suited to his talents as a dramatic actor. Washington would be ideal as the megalomaniacal ruler who is constantly at odds with Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four.
Victor Von Doom is a Shakespearean character whose theatrical monologues are ideal for Denzel Washington’s abilities. The Flight actor began his Shakespeare career with plays like Othello and the lesser-known Coriolanus. “This King of the Kongs has nothing on Doom!” Denzel could easily deliver his Training Day speech in Doom’s third-person cadence.
That is, assuming Denzel Washington is interested in joining the MCU. The actor could easily fit in at James Gunn’s newly relaunched DC Universe. Jonathan Kent would be ideal for Washington. Even if Gunn chooses to keep Superman Caucasian, having his adopted parents of color would add another depth to the hero’s upbringing and assist to demonstrate why Clark chooses to fight injustice.
Denzel would also be an excellent (if obvious) candidate to play the Batman character Lucius Fox, a position previously performed by Washington’s Glory co-star Morgan Freeman in the Dark Knight trilogy. When it comes to comic book movies, the possibilities for an actor of Denzel’s caliber are truly limitless.
