(Left) Vanessa Kirby in Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One from Paramount Pictures and Skydance. (Right) Joseph Quinn as Eddie Munson in ‘Stranger Things.’ Photo: Tina Rowden/Netflix © 2022.
Ever since Marvel Studios boss announced from the stage of San Diego Comic-Con’s Hall H in 2019 that the company was officially making plans to integrate former Fox properties the X-Men and the Fantastic Four into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, we’ve been waiting to learn who will play particularly the First Family of Marvel Comics.
Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic, Sue Storm/The Invisible Woman, Johnny Storm/The Human Torch and Ben Grimm/The Thing are key players in the pages of Marvel, one of the best known and best-loved superhero teams.
They’ve been brought to screens before –– an unauthorized Roger Corman version floats around the internet after being traded on bootleg videos years ago, and then there were the Fox efforts, 2005’s ‘Fantastic Four’ and 2007 sequel ‘Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer’. They were followed by the dark, gritty and unsuccessful reboot in 2015.
And now the latest word –– though still unconfirmed by Marvel or anyone official –– comes from the Hot Mic Podcast and Above The Line, which are pointing to ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning’s Vanessa Kirby and ‘Stranger Things’ Joseph Quinn playing Sue (who can generate forcefields and turn invisible) and Johnny (whose body turns into flame and flies) in Marvel Studio’s ‘Fantastic Four.’
Casting rumors for ‘Fantastic Four’
Jack Quaid stars in Prime Video’s ‘The Boys.’ Photo Credit: Eric Charbonneau. Copyright: Amazon Studios.
This is far from the first time someone has reported on casting for the movie. Following Kevin Feige’s announcement, there have been a flurry of reports about potential performers.
Some have been pure fan casting ideas, others, such as Adam Driver or Matt Smith for Reed Richards (the stretchy leader of the team) sound more like the studio reaching out to actors who ultimately decide not to take the role.
The Hot Mic’s Jeff Sneider was fact-checked by one of the people he named-dropped, ‘The Boys’ actor Jack Quaid, who tweeted during the show that he was not playing Johnny, Sneider quick to correct himself and pointed instead to Quinn.
Other names mentioned included ‘The Bear’s Ebon Moss-Bachrach, who has apparently won a role (but not Ben Grimm, so possibly classic Four villain Doctor Doom or The Silver Surfer, assuming they appear).
Grimm (whose body turns permanently into a rocky surface, and he gains enormous strength) has apparently been cast, but the Hot Mic duo did not have a name.
And talking of the Silver Surfer, the threat he heralds, planet-eating baddie Galactus, may well be played by a Latino actor, but Sneider didn’t know who.
Related Article: Director Matt Shakman Gives An Update on ‘Fantastic Four’ Timeline
What’s happening with the ‘Fantastic Four’ movie?
Marvel’s Fantastic Four. Photo courtesy of Pinterest.
As of right now, beyond casting negotiations and speculation, little is moving forward since both scripting –– ‘Avatar’ sequels veteran Josh Friedman has been at work on a fresh screenplay –– is halted due to the writers’ strike, and any actors hired wouldn’t be able to report to set because of the associated actors’ strike.
What we do know is that ‘WandaVision’ director Matt Shakman has been busy tracking down the cast and doing what prep work he can to be ready to make the movie when conditions allow.
Assuming the delays don’t continue indefinitely, Disney and Marvel want ‘Fantastic Four’ in theaters on May 2nd, 2025.
Marvel Studio’s ‘Fantastic Four.’
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