Of all the upcoming Marvel movies that we currently know about, it’s possible that Matt Shakman’s Fantastic Four is the most anticipated on the whole, both for bringing the beloved heroes back and for (seemingly) not being weighed down by MCU lore. But while each update about the FF cast has been met with cheer, a wider array of opinions flew around after The Fall of the House of Usher star Rahul Kohli revealed he “didn’t get” the role of Reed Richards.
Following those comments, some fans went above and beyond by assuming Kohli meant he and the currently cast Pedro Pascal were at the same level of contention, with the gaming enthusiast losing out at a late stage of the auditioning process. The news even sparked a supportive message from Mike Flanagan, who’s worked with Kohli on five projects at this point, including the upcoming Stephen King adaptation). But the actor revealed it was all taken beyond the proper context.
Rahul Kohli Clarifies Reed Richards Comments
After a day or two of seeing comments from the fandom at large (which likely combined with personal messages as well), Rahul Kohli took to his Instagram Stories (via X user @AlexFromCC) to clarify that his initial quotes were misinterpreted and removed from the context of the conversation during which he brought it up. In his words:
Fucking hell, this is being blown way out of proportion. I wasn't gonna address it but I guess I have to now. I said during a podcast 'I didn't get it.' It didn't say I was in the running or I lost to Pedro Pascal or I was being considered or close to being in it. I just didn't get it and it was part of a larger point about fancasting and mental health.
Kohli appeared on the April 10 episode of the podcast Salaam Nerds, where he addressed being aware of all the fan-casting posts that envisioned him in the role of Mr. Fantastic, with many believing he would be an ideal version of Reed Richards’ more erratic and quirky side. And while he didn’t directly state that he had tried out, or that he was personally beat out by Pascal for the role, his intentionally vague wording was all that was needed to get the assumption train rolling.
It’s entirely possible that Kohli saying he might not be allowed to talk about it is what sparked fans to believe that he was closer to being a Fantastic Four cast member than he was. Regardless, that apparently wasn’t the cast, and the actor continued his message by giving Pedro Pascal some big props:
As for the role, Pedro is one of my favourite actors out there, a lovely person, and I can't think of a better actor to play Reed. We were never 'up against each other,' I was never even in his league to begin with. I'm stoked for him and can't wait to watch! Apologies everyone, lesson learned.
While this was likely a bit of a headache for Rahul Kohli, here’s hoping that the worst is over, and that the best-case outcome is that Kevin Feige & Co. see all this additional support for the Midnight Mass star and find a way to factor him into a future project.
House Of Usher's Mike Flanagan Shares Support For Rahul Kohli
In the wake of the initial burst of reactions, but seemingly before Rahul Kohli’s explanation was live, Mike Flanagan shared some adulation for the Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun voice actor (who got a tattoo to celebrate that accomplishment). Taking to X, Flanagan wrote:
We've been working together for half a decade now, and I'm proud to call Rahul a friend. He would have crushed that role, but he's destined for greater things. Love you bruv.
Understandably, the Life of Chuck director didn’t take any unnecessary shots at Marvel there, but rather pointed to the values of having Kohli as a co-star. And he would know better than anyone, as they also worked together on The Haunting of Bly Manor, Midnight Mass and The Midnight Club, and I can’t imagine the aforementioned King adaptation will be their last collaboration. Now if only we could make sure that collaboration was on an MCU movie about Mephisto…
Fantastic Four is set to hit theaters on July 25, 2025, with filming kicking off in London in late July 2024. Check out all the other big releases coming soon with our 2024 movie premiere schedule.
