John David Washington is really making a name for himself within the Hollywood landscape. The 36-year-old actor has already starred in high-profile films like BlacKkKlansman and Tenet, proving that he can handle both comedy and action. Following these ventures, some are campaigning for him to enter the superhero genre through either Marvel or DC. Nothing seems to be set in stone yet, but Washington has put a lot of thought into joining a comic book franchise. Despite this, he wants to tread carefully so that he doesn’t limit himself:
There's so many. I think it depends on who's asking, what director wants to do it with me. We'll see, I want to stay open. I don't want to box myself in. Maybe there's characters that haven't been mentioned yet, or maybe even developed, that haven't been introduced in any of the films yet. I'd like to see what they come up with, if I ever get asked.
John David Washington made a fair point while speaking with Nerd Reactor. Although the idea of joining a superhero franchise sounds fun, he doesn’t want to just jump at any project. He wants to consider all of the potential characters that are available as well as the array of potential directors that could tackle them:
One franchise that superhero fans have been desperately wanting to see on the big screen again is Fantastic Four. This is probably what led Nerd Reactor to flat-out ask Washington if he would be game to sign on to play Reed Richards in the upcoming reboot If asked. And his response was very enthusiastic:
I'd say, 'Well, thank you for having me, thank you for taking this meeting. Where do I sign?'
John David Washington would be a fantastic (sorry) choice for the role of Mr. Fantastic and could definitely bring something new to the classic character. It remains to be seen if he’ll actually end up landing the role, but it wouldn’t be crazy to think that Marvel Studios won’t have its eyes on Washington after hearing these comments.
If not Reed Richards, there are plenty of other superhero roles that would be a great fit for John David Washington. The character he’s arguably been linked to the most is DC’s Green Lantern. Fans have already imagined him in the role through some incredible art, and his Tenet director, Christopher Nolan, also thinks he would be an excellent choice for the role.
John David Washington’s star is rising at an exceptional rate, and I think it’s honestly only a matter of time before a mega franchise scoops him up for a leading role. Both the MCU and DCEU have been heavily recruiting talent as of late, so he could easily end up with either entity. Let’s just hope the studio that signs him will allow him to play a layered character overseen by a capable director.
What superhero role would you like to see John David Washington play? Let us know in the comments!
