Despite work on Fantastic Four coming to a halt as a result of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, it was recently reported that Doctor Who and House of the Dragon star Matt Smith has emerged as the frontrunner to play Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic.
For fans of the actor, that's very good news. However, it's proving to be something of a divisive casting choice, particularly after Smith's dismal performances in blockbusters like Terminator Genisys and Morbius.
Now, though, social media is convinced that Smith is MCU-bound.
Streamr Entertainment reached out to the actor's reps in June and confirmed with them he hadn't been cast in Fantastic Four. However, upon making further contact about this particular rumour, all they got was a brief "No comment."
Does this mean anything? Well, for starters, that response may be a result of the ongoing strikes because actors aren't actually allowed to meet with studios about future roles. Smith's reps were never going to confirm the offer and to deny it would run the risk of suggesting their client has broken SAG-AFTRA rules.
It's also worth noting that while Smith has been offered the role, Marvel Studios is expected to once again court director Matt Shakman's supposed top choice, Adam Driver, once the screenplay has been rewritten.
The Fantastic Four casting rumours are fun to follow but with this strike expected to last several months, no official casting news will be revealed for some time yet.
Fantastic Four is set to be released in theaters on May 2, 2025.
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