The comic book version of Reed Richards has frequently sported facial hair, so Pedro Pascal having a moustache and beard in The Fantastic Four: First Steps isn't that big a deal.
Some fans have complained about The Last of Us star not going clean-shaven, but if you need to blame someone for that, you can lay it at the feet of whoever convinced Pascal to shave for 2020's Wonder Woman 1984.
Talking to Vanessa Kirby for LADbible's "Agree to Disagree" video series, Pascal explained, "I grow such shit facial hair, but if I were to shave it all off, I really look very [awful]. Strongly disagree with a clean-shaven me."
"I was so appalled by the way I look in 'Wonder Woman 1984.' I loved the movie, but I was so appalled by the way that I looked that I never have gone back unless it were completely necessary," he said of playing Maxwell Lord. "If they asked me to be clean-shaven for 'Fantastic Four' and insisted then I would’ve done it. But it was a very collaborative creation for all of our looks in the movie."
Interestingly, Pascal also shaved his beard off for NBC's failed Wonder Woman pilot starring Adrianne Palicki (he didn't really suit him there either), so you can go ahead and blame DC for not getting a clean-shaven Mister Fantastic in the MCU.
During another recent interview, The Mandalorian star admitted that he's aware of the complaints surrounding his being cast as Reed. Of course, it's worth pointing out that, in the first reviews for the Marvel Studios reboot, he's been widely praised for his fantastic performance.
"He’s too old. He’s not right. He needs to shave. I’m more aware of disgruntlement around my casting than anything I’ve ever done," Pascal shared. His Wonder Woman 1984 role as Lord was a one-and-done, though he was a highlight as the villainous billionaire.
In contrast, he has a bright future as the MCU's Mister Fantastic and is already confirmed to reprise the role in next December's Avengers: Doomsday.
You can hear more from Pascal and Kirby in the video below.
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.
Paul Walter Hauser, John Malkovich, Natasha Lyonne, and Sarah Niles have been cast in supporting roles. Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom is rumoured to appear, though that's surely a given with Avengers: Doomsday on the way.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps is directed by Matt Shakman from a screenplay by Josh Friedman and Eric Pearson and Jeff Kaplan & Ian Springer.
The movie is set to be released in theaters on July 25, 2025.