One of the biggest surprises to come out of this year’s Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness was the reveal of the first official Marvel Studios Reed Richards. In this entry, he was played by John Krasinski. Krasinski has been a fan favorite casting for the leader of the Fantastic Four, and his appearance seems like either a tease for the future or just an opportunity for the actor to play the role before being taken over by someone else as his rendition may only exist in an alternate universe.
ScreenRant gives us the lowdown on Emily Blunt’s hopefulness that John would be able to reprise his role in the upcoming franchise. Blunt is not only Krasinski’s wife but also a popular casting choice for the character who would be romantically involved with Krasinski’s Richards, Sue Storm. In an interview with HeyUGuys, Blunt would go on to say,
I was really happy for him because I think he’s a huge fan. And I understand why it’s such an ardent passionate religion for people. It’s a huge part of our cinematic history now. So he was thrilled… Well, I hope [we can see him in the role again]. I hope so. You never know.”
Marvel Studios’ Fantastic Four has been announced to be an entry in the next phase of the studio’s grand schedule. WandaVision director, Matt Shankman, has been tapped to direct the film scheduled for release in 2025. The details of the film are still up in the air, including the plot and casting.
While there have been attempts at the franchise prior with 20th Century Fox before the Disney acquirement, this is the first time the first family of Marvel would be having an official existence in the MCU. It’s inevitable that there will be multiple sequels and appearances by the cast, which will require a commitment, and if the studio decides to cast people younger to capitalize on a multi-year contract, Krasinski will always have his run as an alternate Mr. Fantastic.