Pedro Pascal could soon be spearheading yet another tentpole Disney-owned intellectual property, if one recent rumor is to be believed. Following a report from Deadline, /Film has reported that Pascal has been offered and has accepted the role of Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic in the upcoming “Fantastic Four” film and the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe, in general; entertainment industry scooper Daniel Richtman initially shared the rumor on November 15.
Pedro Pascal Reportedly Cast as Reed Richards in ‘Fantastic Four’
According to The Hollywood Reporter, sources say that scheduling for Pascal is a factor in the deal, and “the current status of the talks is unclear.” Currently, Pascal is in production for “Gladiator 2,” and is expected to begin production on the second season of “The Last of Us” in early 2024.
Pascal got his acting start in 1996 and has since appeared in several successful franchise films and television programs; he perhaps joined the zeitgeist with his portrayal of Oberyn Martell in the HBO fantasy series “Game of Thrones” in 2014, later earning critical acclaim for his performance as Javier Peña in the Netflix crime drama “Narcos.” He was recently nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his turn as Joel in the HBO series “The Last of Us,” an adaptation of the popular video game franchise of the same name.
Pascal is no stranger to the Disney family; he stars as Din Djarin in “The Mandalorian,” a series set in the “Star Wars” universe that launched alongside the Disney+ streaming platform in 2019 and has, in many ways, acted as its flagship program. The show initially garnered critical acclaim and was largely well-received by audiences; its third season aired earlier this year.
Pascal is the latest of several actors who have been attached to the Richards character and the “Fantastic Four” film, which is currently scheduled to kick off the MCU’s sixth phase in May of 2025. The Richards character made his debut in the MCU in 2022’s “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness;” that version of Richards, portrayed by John Krasinksi, will not be the shared film universe’s primary rendition of the character.
Richards has previously been seen in several feature-length adaptations of the “Fantastic Four.” The character was portrayed by Ioan Gruffudd in the 2005 version of “Fantastic Four” and its 2007 “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer” sequel before being played by Miles Teller in the 2015 reboot. Marvel Studios, a subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios, acquired the film rights to Richards and several other Marvel characters in Disney’s 2019 acquisition of 20th Century Fox.
The Pascal rumor comes at a time of great uncertainty for Marvel Studios. “The Marvels,” a film with a $200 million-plus dollar budget that was released on November 10, made roughly $50 million domestically and $110 million globally in its opening weekend, the worst opening that an MCU film has ever posted.
“Avengers: Kang Dynasty,” the first of two Avengers-centric films planned for Marvel Studios’ sixth phase, recently lost its director, with “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” filmmaker Destin Daniel Cretton leaving the director’s post on November 15. News of Cretton’s departures came just days after reports indicated that Marvel is potentially considering moving away from Kang the Conquerer as the franchise’s central antagonist as actor Jonathan Majors faces domestic assault allegations. Rumors suggest that Marvel has considered replacing Kang with Doctor Doom, a “Fantastic Four” villain who will certainly cross paths with Richards at some point in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
How would you feel about Pedro Pascal joining the MCU as Reed Richards? Let us know in the comments.
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