The Marvel Cinematic Universe is always expanding, and providing thrilling updates for the generations of fans out there. One of the most highly anticipated upcoming Marvel movies is Fantastic Four, which will finally bring the titular heroes to the shared universe. The leading cast of Fantastic Four was just announced, including names like Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Stranger Things breakout star Joseph Quinn, and Pedro Pascal. But despite the latter actor's experience in franchises like Game of Thrones and The Mandalorian, some fans aren't happy with his casting as Reed Richards/ Mr. Fantastic. And they're making their voices known online, with one critic even saying "the downgrade is massive." Let's break it all down.
What we know about Fantastic Four is super limited, which is why the casting of the quartet of heroes broke the internet. Given how popular Pascal has become as the internet's Daddy, he seemed like a great choice. But not everyone on Twitter agrees, with some folks taking umbrage with this casting. One such critic compare him to Ioan Gruffudd, who played Mr. Fantastic in the pair of movies in the 2000s.
the downgrade is massive man pic.twitter.com/IucY7QMn0aFebruary 14, 2024
Given just how acclaimed Pascal's work has been in projects like The Last Of Us, I'm not sure I agree. He's shown an ability to balance action, drama, and comedy, which I think would lend itself quite well to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Still, he's not the actor that some fans were hoping for.
For years, the most popular fan choice for Reed Richards was John Krasinski, who briefly played the role in Doctor Strange 2. But he didn't seem ready to commit to the role for the long haul, opening the door for Pascal's casting.
Indeed, there are some naysayers out there who are disappointed that Krasinski won't be reprising his role in the Fantastic Four movie. They made their opinions known on Twitter, sharing:
The biggest disappointment of fantastic four casting. Pedro is great and all, but he doesn't have Reed Richards vibe at all. Maybe his acting will make up for it. Marvel could've just stuck with John Krasinski instead. 😒 https://t.co/YzUxzhr7kO pic.twitter.com/9MfPNxk0WiFebruary 14, 2024
Perhaps the reason that some fans are taking issue with Pascal as Reed Richards is because he hasn't played a scientist/genius just yet. We've seen him work within the superhero genre in projects like Wonder Woman 1984, but he was a pretty laughable antagonist.
In the midst of backlash related to Pascal's casting, some have taken to defending the 48 year-old actor on social media. That includes one fan who looked back at the way comic book casting has been received in the past. As they put it:
When Heath Ledger was casted as the Joker, it was met with negativity and push back from fans. When RDJ was casted as Tony, it was immediately questioned due to RDJs past.So maybe lay off of Pedro Pascal and Joseph Quinn, and let there performance speak for itself pic.twitter.com/bL1Oxbegb5February 15, 2024
Points were made. Only time will tell what Pedro Pascal brings to the table, but he and the rest of the Fantastic Four leads seem like a homerun for the forthcoming blockbuster. While some corners of the internet have turned on the actor, others remain very much invested.
Fantastic Four is currently expected to arrive in theaters on May 2nd, 2025. While we wait for more information, check the 2024 movie release dates.
