The Fantastic Four’s Reed Richards may have finally been revealed, and no it’s not Jim from The Office. Instead, the MCU’s stretchiest superhero may be played by Pedro Pascal, based on a new report from Deadline, who has been quite busy of late working on The Last of Us, The Mandalorian, and other popular genre shows.
Pascal is said to be in talks to take on the role, though nothing is finalized yet. Early rumors emerged last week and eventually caught fire on social media, with Deadline’s sources reportedly claiming that talks are heading in the “right direction.” The Fantastic Four is reportedly set to begin filming next year, with director Matt Shakman taking the helm.
If the deal were to go through, Pascal would be taking on the mantle of Reed Richards in the wake of John Krasinski, the aforementioned Jim from The Office, who had a cameo in 2022’s Multiverse of Madness as the leader of the Fantastic Four. Krasinski was reportedly cast due to “fan demand,” but ultimately wasn’t asked back to the MCU. He follows in the footsteps of Ioan Gruffudd, who played Mister Fantastic in the previous iterations of The Fantastic Four.
With the multiverse in full effect in the MCU, though, recasting the role more or less makes sense. And in Pascal, the MCU would have another highly bankable star.
Pascal has seen his star rise in Hollywood of late thanks to the success of The Last of Us and The Mandalorian. He previously found fame as the Red Viper in Game of Thrones. Pascal’s upcoming projects include Gladiator 2, which is expected to resume production now that the Hollywood actor’s strike is over.
The Fantastic Four, meanwhile, has been in development for some time now, with Matt Shakman as the director and Josh Friedman writing. Not much is known about it, but we do know that it won’t be an origin story, and that It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia will somehow influence it. It’s currently slated to release May 2, 2025 as part of the MCU’s ongoing Phase 5.
As for Marvel as a whole, the MCU remains very much in flux amid word of director Destin Daniel Cretton’s departure from Avengers: Kang Dynasty. Whatever happens next may say a lot about the future of Marvel’s sprawling multiverse. For more, check out our complete list of what to expect from Phase 5 over the rest of 2023 and beyond.
Kat Bailey is IGN’s News Director as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.
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