Pedro Pascal will reportedly play Reed Richards, AKA Mister Fantastic, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s upcoming Fantastic Four movie.
There have been reports throughout the day that Pascal has been cast as Richards in the film. However, those remained unsubstantiated from more legitimate industry sources until /Film confirmed that the actor has officially signed on. While it’s still possible this isn’t true, /Film is a great source of information on the world of TV and movies, so there’s a very high chance Pascal will play Richards.
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Pascal is known for his roles in The Mandalorian, Game of Thrones, and The Last of Us, and has earned much critical and fan praise for his work. As a big fan of the Fantastic Four, I’m deeply excited for the possibility of Pascal playing Richards, though I’m interested to see how much he captures the character’s at times rough edges.
The news comes following the end of the SAG-AFTRA strike. It’d been reported earlier this year that Marvel would announce casting on its Fantastic Four film after that dispute had been settled.
Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Reed Richards debuted in 1961’s Fantastic Four #1 and is a member of that comic’s titular team. After getting exposed to cosmic radiation, Richards developed the ability to stretch and elongated his limbs. In addition to those powers, he’s also a genius with advanced degrees in several different subjects. Over the years, he’s served with such groups as the Illuminati.
Previously, actor John Krasinski played a version of Richards in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which followed years of fan casting of him in that role. However, as that was a version from elsewhere in the multiverse, the casting here definitely makes sense.
Fantastic Four is scheduled to release on May 2, 2025, and is part of MCU Phase Six.