The Big Picture

Pedro Pascal officially joins Marvel’s
Fantastic Four a
s Reed Richards, also known as Mr. Fantastic.
Pascal’s portrayal of Richards, a scientist and inventor with stretchy powers, will lead Marvel’s first family.
The success of
Fantastic Four
is crucial for Marvel, which has faced challenges with box office results and critical flops.

Following months of speculation, Pedro Pascal has officially joined Marvel’s Fantastic Four in the lead role of Reed Richards, also known as Mr. Fantastic. Pascal emerged as the leading choice and was in negotiations for the role in November of last year, following reports that various actors including John Krasinski, Adam Driver, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Matt Smith were said to be contenders for the role at different points in the past two years.

Krasinski, who was a fan favorite for the role of Mr. Fantastic, had a short-lived appearance as a variant of the character in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, where his character quickly meets a brutal end at the hands of Wanda Maximoff, portrayed by Elizabeth Olsen, being torn apart after only a brief time on screen. However, it’s Pascal who has won the right to lead Marvel’s first family as Richards, a scientist and inventor noted as one of the most brilliant minds in the Marvel Comics universe. Richards’ powers, gained from exposure to cosmic radiation, include the ability to stretch his body, absorb impacts, and reshape his form to bounce off objects, like a human trampoline.

Pascal is currently in high demand, not a surprise given the charisma and magnetism of the man. The star of HBO’s The Last of Us and Disney’s The Mandalorian, he’s also recently been filming Ridley Scott’s sequel to Gladiator in Malta before heading to shoot the second season of HBO’s hit series. It was also recently confirmed he would be reprising his role as Din Djarin, the titular Mandalorian in a new film for Disney, The Mandalorian & Grogu. However, Pascal does tend to do voiceover work for the role more than anything, making rare appearances in person on the series when required.

Why Marvel Needs ‘Fantastic Four’ To Succeed

Image via Marvel Comics

Marvel announced a reboot of Fantastic Four in 2020 during Disney’s investor call, a period marked by the company’s success following Avengers: Endgame. Jon Watts, known for directing Spider-Man: No Way Home, was originally set to direct the film. However, in April 2022, Watts amicably departed from the project, and Matt Shakman (WandaVision), took over as director.

Since the announcement, Marvel and Disney have encountered a series of challenges, including underperforming box office results and critical flops. These setbacks have heightened the need for a major hit. As of now, Deadpool 3 is the only significant release scheduled by Marvel before 2025, emphasizing the importance of a successful blockbuster. The casting of Pascal in Fantastic Four is a clear indication of Marvel’s dedication to ensuring this film’s success. Pascal will lead the film alongside Ebon Moss-Bachrach as The Thing, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, and Stranger Things breakout star Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm.

Fantastic Four will be released on July 25, 2025. Stay tuned at Collider for further updates.