Who will play the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Fantastic Four? That is a question that fans have been asking ever since Disney merged with 20th Century Fox, and curiosity has only increased as we have gotten closer and closer to the 2025 release date that has been set for the MCU's Fantastic Four movie. As of today, we still don't have an official answer about the full group, but new trade reports are saying that The Last Of Us star Pedro Pascal is the frontrunner to play Reed Richards a.k.a. Mr. Fantastic.
Deadline is reporting word from unnamed sources that a deal is in the midst of being worked out to have Pascal play the leader of the Fantastic Four in director Matt Shakman upcoming blockbuster. Scheduling is still being worked out, and that's not particularly surprising given the actor's popularity. In addition to the fact that he is the star of two different television shows – the aforementioned The Last Of Us and Disney+'s The Mandalorian – he also has a thriving big screen career, most recently working with director Ridley Scott on Gladiator 2.
It's understandable that scheduling would be a concern in this casting, as what's being discussed here is a major part. Reed Richards is considered one of the most important characters in the history of Marvel Comics, and it's certainly only because of pre-existing rights issues that he doesn't hold that kind of status in the MCU. When he and the rest of Marvel's First Family are brought together for the first time in the franchise, they will surely become a vital part of everything that is going on in the big picture, and that means Marvel Studios is going to need a star who is available for the commitment.
Should he land the role, Pedro Pascal will be the third actor to portray Reed Richards in a major studio blockbuster. Ioan Gruffudd played the stretchy hero in Tim Story's 2005 Fantastic Four film, and he reprised the role two years later in Fantastic Four: Rise Of The Silver Surfer. When Fox attempted to produce a gritty reboot in 2015, director Josh Trank hired Whiplash star Miles Teller for the part.
Fantastic Four will be the first movie released as part of Phase 6 in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and it is scheduled to be released in theaters on May 2, 2025 (so not until after Deadpool 3, Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts). Production is expected to start early next year, so don't be surprised if we hear a lot more casting chatter/news in the coming weeks. Stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for all of the latest updates about the project, and keep on top of everything set to be released as part of the canon by checking out our Upcoming Marvel Movies and Upcoming Marvel TV guides.
