Marvel Studios’ long-anticipated reboot and MCU integration of the Fantastic Four is generating buzz once again, as Pedro Pascal‘s rumored casting as Reed Richards has seemingly been confirmed by… unexpected sources.
Despite the lack of official casting announcements, sources indicate that production for the Fantastic Four MCU reboot is imminent. The casting process for Marvel’s First Family has been shrouded in secrecy, leaving fans to rely on rumors and speculation.
However, a noteworthy revelation was discovered on Pedro Pascal’s career retrospective page on the SAG-AFTRA Foundation website and what was presumed to be director Matt Shakman’s Instagram. The SAG-AFTRA Foundation’s webpage explicitly stated that Pascal would “soon begin production” on Fantastic Four.
The timing of this does align with the past months of swirling rumors and insider scoops that had already pointed to Pascal landing the role of Reed Richards, also known as Mister Fantastic, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
We have some great 'Career Retrospectives' coming to the SAG-AFTRA Foundation's YouTube channel soon👀
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— SAG-AFTRA Foundation (@sagaftraFOUND) February 8, 2024
The webpage mentioned Pascal’s recent completion of filming for Ridley Scott’s highly anticipated Gladiator 2, and the subsequent statement about his upcoming involvement in Marvel Studios’ Fantastic Four solidified the casting rumor. However, the entry has since been modified to remove this specific mention – which, as always, just makes it seem more plausible.
The casting rumors had previously sparked discussions about other potential members of the FF. In the past months, these rumors included Vanessa Kirby as The Invisible Woman/Sue Storm, Joseph Quinn as The Human Torch/Johnny Storm, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as The Thing/Ben Grimm. Xfire contacted Marvel Studios for any confirmation of these rumored casting choices.
Despite the removal of the confirmation from the SAG-AFTRA Foundation website, the resolution of Pascal’s scheduling conflict with Gladiator 2 is too close of a coincidence to dismiss the likelihood of his involvement in Marvel’s Fantastic Four movie.
This development, coupled with the removal of an Instagram account attributed to director Matt Shakman that hinted at Pascal’s casting, has only added to the intrigue and uncertainty surrounding the actor’s role. That account notably posted a fan-made image with Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards.
News outlets reported it as a confirmation, but that post has since been deleted and has not been confirmed as Matt Shakman’s official account. While public perception suggests Pascal could become the MCU’s next ultimate franchise actor, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige has emphasized the importance of Pascal’s potential role in the MCU’s overarching plans.
According to Feige, the versatile Latino actor would bring a more diverse essence to the FF. However, it should be noted that Jessica Alba (who is of Mexican-American descent) played Sue Storm in the first two Fantastic Four films.
Although the certainty of Pascal’s role as Mr. Fantastic remains unconfirmed, the likelihood of misinformation seems low, indicating that the inadvertent reveal on the SAG-AFTRA Foundation web page was a substantial and potentially consequential mistake.
With a rich portfolio that includes notable roles in Star Wars (The Mandalorian), the DCEU (Wonder Woman 1984), Game of Thrones, The Last of Us, and various other iconic franchises, Pascal’s arrival in the MCU has been eagerly anticipated by fans.
Marvel’s previous struggles with the Fantastic Four franchise only heighten the stakes for this reboot, never mind that the MCU is currently experiencing a slew of box office duds with the most recent being the global failure of The Marvels film.
Will an official announcement be announced in the coming weeks as production of the film draws near? Marvel’s Fantastic Four is scheduled to launch Phase Six of the MCU on May 2, 2025.
