Anyone can fan-cast a comic book character, but it’s not easy to pick an actor who numerous people agree think be a good fit for a certain superhero or supervillain. And when it comes to the Fantastic Four reboot that will inevitably be released within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, arguably the most popular choice for the stretchy Mr. Fantastic has been Jack Ryan star and A Quiet Place: Part II director, John Krasinski.
Fans agreeing that John Krasinski would make a good Mr. Fantastic is one thing, but has the actor himself actually spoken with anyone at Marvel Studios about the role? Here’s what Krasinski recently had to say on the matter:
I would love to do it. I think to be a part of the Marvel world would be amazing anyway, and the fact that people would even consider me for that level of a part would be amazing. I genuinely have had no conversations or don't know anything that's happening with that. I'm awaiting Kevin [Feige]’s announcements of what the hell's happening with that as much as you are.
John Krasinski’s latest comments on the Fantastic Four of it all came while speaking with Comicbook.com, with interviewer Kofi Outlaw noting that the way Mr. Fantastic is being drawn in the comics nowadays, he looks a lot like Krasinski. Naturally the former star of The Office was flattered, but as of now, he’s just as much in the dark about what Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige and the other creative minds in charge of this franchise have in store for the next cinematic iteration of Marvel’s First Family.
Still, if he had any say in the matter, John Krasinski would gladly accept the honor of playing Mr. Fantastic in the MCU. After all, he missed out on playing Captain America a decade ago, and considering how important the Fantastic Four are to the Marvel mythos, Krasinski would be guaranteed an especially esteemed position within this superhero franchise.
Plus, it’s not just that a lot of fans would like to see John Krasinski playing Mr. Fantastic. Many also want fellow actress and Krasinski’s wife, Emily Blunt, to play Sue Storm, a.k.a. The Invisible Woman, alongside him. Krasinski and Blunt previously played significant others in A Quiet Place, and a Fantastic Four movie would allow them to keep that onscreen dynamic going.
For now though, John Krasinski is not aware if there’s any interest in him playing Mr. Fantastic on Marvel’s end, but for all we know, he could be on a list of candidates that Kevin Feige and his fellow executives have pinned on a cork board somewhere. It’d be foolish for them to not at least consider Krasinski.
Quite frankly though, we really don’t know anything about the MCU’s plans for the Fantastic Four. The only thing that’s certain is that after years of being unavailable to use due to 20th Century Fox owning the film rights, Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, The Thing, The Human Torch and all their associated allies and enemies are free to eventually be introduced in the continually-expanding MCU.
And this isn’t just something that fans are hoping will happen. Last year at San Diego Comic-Con, Kevin Feige announced that an MCU-set Fantastic Four movie is in development, but nothing else has been said about it since then, including when it will be released.
With Phase Four already filled up on both the movie and Disney+ sides, that leaves Phase Five as the earliest we could see the Fantastic Four introduced, and even then they could be saved for towards the end of the Phase, i.e. around 2025 or so. Still, they will pop up at some point, and if John Krasinski does end up being cast as Mr. Fantastic, considering how well his directorial work on A Quiet Place (and its sequel too, judging by the early reactions) was received, maybe he could also arrange to helm this Fantastic Four movie.
Rest assured, we here at CinemaBlend will keep you updated on any major developments concerning the Fantastic Four’s future in the MCU. For now, keep track of what other MCU movies are on the way with our comprehensive guide.
