Fantastic Four cast: Reports and rumours for MCU film
Reed Richards, aka Mister Fantastic, may be played by Pedro Pascal, according to a new report.
Ever since it was confirmed that Marvel’s first family would be coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe way back in 2019 at San Diego Comic Con, rumours have been swirling about who will portray Mr Fantastic, the Invisible Woman, the Human Torch and the Thing in their newest incarnations.
And it looks like fans could be about to get the answers they’ve been waiting for.
In an interview with Collider in October, director Matt Shakman revealed that Fantastic Four casting news will be announced when the SAG-AFTRA strike has been resolved (which it now has), and so fans can presumably expect an official announcement sooner rather than later.
Back in September, previous Fantastic Four film screenwriter Simon Kinberg predicted that no rumoured stars will actually be cast in the movie.
Speaking to RadioTimes.com, he said: "I see the main fan cast ideas and I think they’re all good and they’ve all been good."
He continued: "As someone who made a Fantastic Four movie and rewrote the other one and loves the comics, I’m really excited to see again what Kevin and the MCU can do with it.
"It’s a comic I know Kevin loves and it’s a tone that’s hard to get right because it can go goofy really fast.
"But I think if it stays about a family and it can have the humour, obviously, that it needs to have, but can still have moments of real pathos and family drama, it’ll be amazing.
"And I have no doubt it will be, and all of those actors I’ve seen [rumoured], that are Oscar nominated and winning and Emmy nominated, are cool.
"I’m like any fan, I’m excited to see who they actually end up casting, and I have a feeling it’ll be none of the people that have been theorised, but who knows?"
But just in case they are, read on for everything you need to know about who's rumoured to portray Mr Fantastic, The Invisible Woman, The Human Torch and The Thing in Fantastic Four, as well as who's ruled out their involvement in the movie.
Fantastic Four cast reports and rumours: Who could play Reed Richards?
Pedro Pascal
The MCU’s stretchiest superhero Reed Richards, aka Mister Fantastic, may be played by Pedro Pascal, according to a new report from Deadline.
The Last of Us actor is said to be in talks to take on the role but, with nothing official as yet, fans will have to wait and see.
John Krasinski
John Krasinski appeared briefly as Reed Richards in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness in 2022, leading many fans to speculate that the actor could return to reprise the role.
However, Krasinski squashed rumours that he could be back as the superhero at the end of 2022, telling The Wrap that he’s not been in any discussions with Marvel about reprising the role.
Penn Badgley
Another actor rumoured to be playing Reed Richards is Penn Badgley, who fuelled speculation when he said he could "neither confirm nor deny" whether he’d want the role while talking on the Happy Sad Confused podcast back in February.
William Harper Jackson
William Harper Jackson is another rumoured contender for the part, and he previously told NME he would be "happy" to take the role.
"I’d be really happy if Marvel was listening, but they haven’t called me and I’m not going to be in Fantastic Four," the actor said back in 2022.
"As far as I know: maybe they have something [in mind] up the docket, but no one’s reached out to me."
Adam Driver
Adam Driver is another star who has been rumoured for the role. However, he reportedly turned down the part after disagreeing with the screenplay's take on the character.
"Adam Driver was never really engaged in this," Jeff Sneider reported on The Hot Mic podcast back in July.
"They sent Adam Driver the script a while back and he said that he couldn't connect with the character on the page... He passed very early on."
Who could play the Human Torch in Fantastic Four? Latest rumours
Paul Mescal
Paul Mescal is among the stars to have been rumoured for the role of Johnny Storm/the Human Torch.
Back in April, industry insider Daniel Richtman claimed on his Patreon that Marvel had offered Mescal the role of the hot-headed hero but, with nothing official as yet, fans will have to wait and see.
Jack Quaid
According to online chatter, Jack Quaid is another contender for the part.
However, back in August, he denied being cast in the upcoming reboot, tweeting: "Hello everyone. Nope. Not playing Johnny Storm but hey I’m flattered."
Joseph Quinn, Zac Efron, Austin Butler
Stranger Things actor Joseph Quinn appears to be a frontrunner to play Johnny Storm in Marvel’s Fantastic Four film.
Zac Efron and Austin Butler's names have also been popping up for some time, but they're yet to respond to the rumours.
Who could play Invisible Woman in Fantastic Four? Latest rumours
Emily Blunt
Emily Blunt’s name has been popping up for some time for Invisible Woman, the first female superhero to be created by Marvel who can turn invisible and generate immense force fields.
However, fans might remember that she was previously offered the role of Black Widow in Iron Man 2 and ended up not taking it, and, in 2021, she squashed Fantastic Four rumours when she said superhero movies aren’t really her cup of tea.
Speaking on The Howard Stern Show, she said: "I don’t know if superhero movies are for me. They’re not up my alley. I don’t like them. I really don’t."
Vanessa Kirby
Vanessa Kirby has also been rumoured for the role and told Comicbook.com earlier in 2023 that taking up the mantle "would be an honour" when she was asked if she might play the Invisible Woman...
Jodie Comer
Jodie Comer is another favourite among fans, and previously said she would "never say never" to portraying Invisible Woman.
Appearing on Josh Horowitz’s Happy Sad Confused earlier in 2023, the Killing Eve star was asked if she'd consider taking on the role, to which she responded: "But like, right now, no. But I think never say never, right? Usually when you finish one project, you want to try something very different. So I don’t know, maybe?"
Mila Kunis
Mila Kunis has also been rumoured for the part, but sadly the actor squashed fan theories she’ll be starring in Fantastic Four during an appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden back in April.
Who could play Thing in Fantastic Four? Latest rumours
Ebon Moss-Bachrach
The Bear star is rumoured to have joined the cast of Fantastic Four as Ben Grimm, a pilot who is turned into the rocky Thing.
But with the official casting yet to be announced, fans will have to wait and see!
Daveed Diggs, Alan Ritchson, John Cena
According to Forbes, an MCU insider revealed that Daveed Diggs (Hamilton) would be taking on the role of The Thing.
Other stars to be rumoured include Alan Ritchson (Reacher) and John Cena (Peacemaker).
Fantastic Four is set for release on 2nd May 2025. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters will begin on Apple TV+ on Friday 17th November - sign up to Apple TV+ now.
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