Is Reed Richards, aka Mr. Fantastic, being positioned to lead Earth's Mightiest Heroes in Avengers: Doomsday and/or Secret Wars?
The Fantastic Four: First Steps director Matt Shakman has set the internet buzzing with his comments about how much of a challenge it was to cast Pedro Pascal's character during a wide-ranging interview with Variety.
“He goes from being the nerdy scientist who’s locked away in the lab, to the husband and the father who’d do anything to protect his family, to the guy who’s leading the Avengers,” Shakman said of the FF patriarch. “I realized that the version we were building had to have all of those elements.”
Though some have taken this as confirmation that Mr. Fantastic will lead the Avengers in the upcoming MCU event film, it's entirely possible that Shakman was simply referring to Reed's journey in the comic books. Or is he?
Previous reports have suggested that Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) will take command of one roster of heroes, with Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) leading the New Avengers that were formed at the end of Thunderbolts*. But what if Richards is set to head-up a third team?
Probably a bit of a stretch (sorry), but let us know what you think in the comments section down below.
First Steps also stars Vanessa Kirby (Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning) as Sue Storm, aka the Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn (Stranger Things, A Quiet Place Day One) as Johnny Storm, aka The Human Torch, Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Punisher, The Bear) as Ben Grimm, aka the Thing, and Julia Garner (Wolf Man, Ozark) as the Silver Surfer.
Ralph Ineson will play Galactus, and Natasha Lyonne and Paul Walter Hauser are also on board in undisclosed roles. John Malkovich's Red Ghost has been cut from the movie.
"Set against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, Marvel Studios' The Fantastic Four: First Steps introduces Marvel’s First Family—Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm/Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm/Human Torch (Joseph Quinn) and Ben Grimm/The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) as they face their most daunting challenge yet.
Forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, they must defend Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer (Julia Garner). And if Galactus’ plan to devour the entire planet and everyone on it weren’t bad enough, it suddenly gets very personal."
The Fantastic Four: First Steps is set to hit theaters on July 25, 2025.