In the final battle of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Galactus stretches Reed Richards to the point where he is in evident pain — a moment that has fans concerned that the movie's Mr. Fantastic might not be as powerful as he could be.
In Marvel comics, Reed Richards can stretch to about 1,500 feet without issue (according to Fantastic Four #358), and theoretically could even go further, but would have decreased control and an inability to use his power in any effective way.
In The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Reed starts showing signs of being in pain well before that 1,500 foot mark. Though it is not stated explicitly how far Galactus stretched Reed in the fight, context clues can help viewers figure out a rough estimate.
Based on comparisons with Galactus' surroundings, it can be determined that he manifested on Earth at around 450 feet tall. Looking at him, viewers can see that he is no where near as wide as he is tall, putting his horizontal length below 450 feet.
In the movie, Reed is displaying discomfort around the time he is pulled to Galactus' horizontal length, if not earlier. To hit Reed's comics maximum before difficulties, he would have needed to have been stretched more than double Galactus' standing height.
Many fans are worried this confirms that Reed's powers have been nerfed in the movie, with X (formerly Twitter) user @VividInsaan asking "Can’t he just stretch," and @starfrootjuice confused because this is Reed's "whole thing," and it therefore "shouldn't have hurt him."
This version of Reed is the latest adaptation of the beloved character from Marvel comics, making his MCU debut in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Played by Pedro Pascal, Reed Richards is one of the titular Fantastic Four members, alongside Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), and Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn).
Is MCU Reed Richards Less Powerful Than He Is In The Comics?
Though it may seem that in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Reed Richards is not as powerful as he is in the comics, there are explanations for why he was in so much pain despite not stretching to even half of his comics maximum.
@lvl99ron shared on X (formerly Twitter) that Reed may have been in pain "because he was being forcibly stretched," and therefore was not, literally and metaphorically, loose-limbed enough for his powers to work without causing discomfort. The user also suggested that perhaps Galactus used the Power Cosmic and was "interfering" with Reed's abilities.
Another possibility could be that the weight or density of Galactus' hands stretching Reed made it a more painful experience than it may have otherwise been. Also, Reed may have been worn down from overuse, fighting such a cosmic force, that it left him a little weaker than he may normally be.
It is always possible that MCU Reed is simply weaker than the comics version of his character, or has literally not yet stretched to his physical limits. It remains to be seen how his powers could be utilized in Avengers: Doomsday. Perhaps, more time with the character in new situations will bring fans a more definitive answer.
Gillian Blum has been a writer at The Direct since 2022, reporting primarily from New York City. Though she covers news from across the entertainment industry, Gillian has a particular focus on Marvel and DC, including comics, movies, and television shows. She also commonly reports on Percy Jackson, Invincible, and other similar franchises.
