As Deadpool 3 is currently the last mutant standing in Marvel Studios’ 2024 movie schedule, a lot is riding on what Ryan Reynolds’ multiversal story might be trying to pull off. There’s already been some crazy speculation about who might show up, such as those Patrick Stewart X-Men rumors that the man himself refuses to debunk.
While Fantastic Four veteran Michael Chiklis has apparently debunked his rumored cameo alongside Ryan Reynolds, he did reveal that he knows some inside information on the 2025 reboot centered on Marvel's First Family. Taking to social media to call out what he claims as a fake set photo, Chiklis’ X page shows the photo in question, which does indeed look doctored.
But that’s not the juicy part of the upcoming Marvel movie story, as The Shield star included this message along with the supposedly leaked photo:
FYI folks… This is a FAKE. Sorry to disappoint. So many people have asked about it, I feel it’s necessary to clear this up. I do know who they’re casting though. Not my place to tell but I will say this. I’m a fan of his work and I wish him luck and success with it.
If I can play the hopeful fan card here for a moment, I want to believe that Mr. Chiklis has just given us a clue as to who the final choice is. With absolutely no basis to go on, other than Michael just happens to share a connection to the FX network, considering that Ebon Moss-Bachrach of The Bear (which is an FX on Hulu series) has been rumored to play Ben Grimm, that is the scenario I'm really hoping pans out. Again, it's tenuous, but you have to admit there's something faintly there.
Playing the role of Ben Grimm/The Thing in director Tim Story’s two-film adaptation of Marvel’s first family of superheroes, Chiklis is still pretty connected to his Fantastic Four role. So much so that he continues to act as a sort of wise sage in the ways of playing a rock man. Or at least that’s what it seems like, thanks to Michael’s advice to the next Thing, whomever he seems to be.
Something worth noting in this whole conversation is the recent Sue Storm casting rumor, which named the Fantastic Four’s female lead as the centerpiece on which all other casting would connect to. Should Michael Chiklis be telling the truth (and frankly there’s no reason to think otherwise), this tidbit could mean something much larger.
Maybe the entire team is cast after all, and the “casting process” that’s going on right now is either for show. Or perhaps there's a need to replace someone that may have dropped out of previous negotiations? Yep, this is definitely a Marvel movie we're talking about.
By the time Fantastic Four’s 2025 release date hits, it will have almost been a decade since Josh Trank’s infamous entry in Marvel adaptation history was sent into theaters. And while we might not be seeing Michael Chiklis returning to the role of The Thing, perhaps this whole comment is a double bluff meant to confuse us viewers.
Who knows where the truth lies, except Shawn Levy and the rest of the Deadpool 3 gang?! For all we know, we just might see Ben and the new team debuting in a local theater this summer. At least, that’s if Wade Wilson's messy multiversal roadtrip includes that famed crime fighting team, when it opens in theaters on July 25, 2024. And to catch up on the past adventures of Deadpool, as well those first two Fantastic Four outings, a Disney+ subscription is a good thing to have to make it so.
