Summary
A Fantastic Four movie is finally being made part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the Multiverse Saga, and here’s everything there is to know about this reboot. The more the MCU expands, the more opportunities emerge to bring more Marvel Comics characters to life, as well as to give a new chance to characters whose previous adaptations weren’t exactly a success. The Disney/Fox merge now gives Marvel the chance to use popular characters from Fox’s Marvel movies to make them part of the MCU timeline, and among them are the Fantastic Four.
The Fantastic Four got their first film adaptation in 1994, in a project that has become infamous as it was never released, and their proper big-screen debut didn’t happen until 2005. Directed by Tim Story, Fantastic Four told the team’s origin story and got a sequel two years later, titled Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. The team got the reboot treatment in 2015 in a movie simply titled Fantastic Four and directed by Josh Trank. Unfortunately, Fantastic Four was a massive critical and commercial failure, but the team is getting one more chance, now as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase 6 slate, and here’s what’s known so far about the MCU Fantastic Four reboot.
Marvel’s Fantastic Four Latest News
The most recent news regarding the MCU’s Fantastic Four movie is a slew of reports regarding the potential new cast for the film, as several names have appeared after the SAG-AFTRA strikes concluded. Pedro Pascal is reported by Deadline and other outlets to be in the casting process for Reed Richards, Vanessa Kirby is reported to be a candidate for Sue Storm, Joseph Quinn is said to be the front-runner for Johnny Storm, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach is reportedly being considered for the role of Ben Grimm.
On October 6, 2023, Fantastic Four director Matt Shakman also provided some information about the movie and its place in the MCU in an interview with Collider. Shakman revealed that shooting is still expected to begin in 2024 – most likely in the spring – and discussed the movie’s base of operations, Pinewood Studios, where a selection of major series have been created, both within and outside the superhero genre.
Marvel’s Fantastic Four Release Date
The Fantastic Four were confirmed to arrive at the MCU in 2019, during Marvel’s panel at San Diego Comic-Con. In December 2020, Jon Watts was announced as director, though in April 2022, he stepped down to take a break from directing superhero films after helming the MCU’s Spider-Man trilogy. During the 2022 D23 event, Matt Shakman was confirmed as the new director of Fantastic Four, and at the time of writing, the project is scheduled for a May 2, 2025 release, meaning the Fantastic Four will join the MCU during the final chapter of the Multiverse Saga.
Why The Fantastic Four Debut In Marvel’s Phase 6
Most of the MCU’s Phase 5 and what has been revealed of Phase 6 so far have gone through various changes due to production delays, narrative restructures, and the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. What hasn’t changed, however, is Fantastic Four kicking off the MCU’s Phase 6, which might seem like a late introduction for such a big and popular team, but it makes sense within the MCU’s narrative. Fantastic Four will skip the team’s origin story and will introduce them as an active team, and they are believed to be set up as a big multiverse presence for either Avengers: The Kang Dynasty or Avengers: Secret Wars, so it makes sense that their movie is the one that marks the beginning of the end of the Multiverse Saga.
Marvel’s Fantastic Four Cast Rumors Explained
Marvel is taking its time to find its Fantastic Four actors – with extra delays appearing to be the result of the now-concluded Hollywood strikes – even though it already introduced one Reed Richards variant in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, played by John Krasinski. Although Scarlet Witch killed this variant, Krasinski’s casting was a major fan service moment that is widely expected to be repeated, but Krasinski has already revealed he had no discussions with Marvel about playing Reed Richards again – though, of course, this could be something that changes down the line.
However, reports from after the conclusion of the strikes raise a series of promising candidates who are supposedly set to take up some of the MCU’s most important incoming roles. The most-discussed of these is that of Pedro Pascal playing Mister Fantastic, which is stated to hinge on the actor’s scheduling availability, due to his roles in several other impending releases, most notably The Last Of Us season 2. Reports of Pascal and Ebon Moss-Bachrach being considered to take up the roles of Reed Richards and Ben Grimm also stipulate that there was initial concern about both actors’ ages – which are 48 and 46 respectively – but the acting prowess and star power of both makes them viable candidates going forward.
The reports of Fantastic Four’s possible First Family also discuss Sue Kirby as the frontrunner for the role of Sue Storm, and Joseph Quinn being in a similar position for Johnny Storm – which is especially notable as both were popular fancastings long beforehand. Interestingly, according to film critic Jeff Sneider, Emma Stone was considered for Sue Storm, but budget concerns led to a different approach for the role. When asked about being cast in the Fantastic Four movie, Kirby stated, “I don’t know, you’ll have to ask them. I would be very honored to join.” While this leaves things very open, the actor’s excitement about the prospect certainly doesn’t disprove these reports.
However, none of these reports have been yet confirmed by Marvel, and with so many rumors having surfaced about the prospective cast, things won’t be clear until the MCU’s Fantastic Four roster is officially announced. With Fantastic Four planned to start filming in London in 2024, the Fantastic Four director revealed in October that although he could not disclose much due to the then-ongoing strikes, “once that’s resolved, there’ll be a plan at that point, but I can’t say too much. There will be an announcement at some point! I know that the internet is very excited to find out, and I’m excited to share it. I just can’t do it yet.”
Rumored actors for the MCU Fantastic Four cast have included Matt Smith, Adam Driver, Margot Robbie, and Daveed Diggs.
Marvel’s Fantastic Four Story Predictions
Marvel is well-known for keeping details about its movies a secret until the very last minute, and in the case of its Fantastic Four reboot, it seems to be especially careful with casting and plot details. As mentioned above, it has been confirmed by Kevin Feige himself that the MCU’s Fantastic Four won’t be an origin story, but that’s all that’s known about the plot so far. Fantastic Four’s villain hasn’t been revealed either, so predicting the film’s story is a lot trickier than it seems. However, Fantastic Four is believed to be key in setting up the Multiverse Saga’s crossover events The Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars, so the movie could involve a Kang variant, with some theories pointing at Rama-Tut being the villain to defeat.
Of course, many rumors and theories point at Fantastic Four introducing the MCU’s version of Doctor Doom, more so as this villain has a key role in the Secret Wars comic book storyline. Plot details about Fantastic Four surely won’t be revealed until the movie’s release date is close, and even then, many details will remain a secret as there surely will be some twists and turns that are best kept under wraps until the movie is released.
