Pedro Pascal is set to lead Marvel’s Fantastic Four – and there’s a strong ensemble cast should these rumours prove to be accurate.
Marvel Studios sits in the eye of a rumour whirlwind at the moment, following months of internal turbulence that we covered here.
Externally, while the strikes have been disruptive, they’ve also given the studio the opportunity to reconfigure some of its upcoming projects. The general consensus following the release of The Marvels is that the company is in some sort of terminal decline, but it has yet to play the strongest cards in its hand. Those being movies based on iconic and beloved properties X-Men and Fantastic Four.
As far as the latter goes, casting rumours have emerged via reporter Jeff Sneider, who offers a few details on who will be playing Marvel’s ‘First Family’ – and even a little inside news on how the process worked.
Firstly, Pedro Pascal is reportedly in place to play Reed Richards, the leader of the group who goes by the moniker of Mr Fantastic. According to Sneider, Pascal was in line for the role before the strikes, following rumoured salary demands by Adam Driver and Jake Gyllenhaal that were considered too high by a company looking to bring down costs.
However, Pascal’s schedule was jammed considering he’s signed up to another season of The Last Of Us, not to mention Zach Cregger’s Weapons, and perhaps more Star Wars stuff as well.
Thanks to the strikes, though, schedules shifted and it appears the actor is now able to commit to the role.
As for the rest of the team, Mission: Impossible's White Widow, Vanessa Kirby is said to be in place to play Sue Storm, a vital piece of casting because it’s believed that Storm’s character will be the ‘lead’ in the ensemble movie.
Stranger Things' Joseph Quinn (who played the popular breakout character Eddie) is tipped to play Johnny Storm while perhaps the casting coup of the bunch might be The Bear's brilliant Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing.
Sneider also claims that Javier Bardem has replaced Antonio Banderas as first choice to play Galactus, should his schedule allow for it. Should these rumours prove to be true, that’s the kind of casting that may yet turn the tide for the embattled company. We’ll have to wait and see…
