Since the SAG-AFTRA strikes were lifted, casting news for the upcoming Fantastic Four has been the most-awaited one for the fans. In November, the Internet’s current favourite celebrity Pedro Pascal was said to be the frontrunner for Reed Richards a.k.a Mister Fantastic. While Pascal is busy with multiple projects, he is reportedly in talks to play the character.
Pascal is currently working on films such as Gladiator 2, Freaky Tales, and Drive-Away Dolls, as well as the second season of The Last of Us. While Pascal might be great as Reed Richards in the Matt Shakman directorial, here are three other actors who would be perfect for the role should Pascal end up not taking up the mantle.
Also read: Marvel Theory Explains Fantastic Four Absence in Endgame and a Glaring Pedro Pascal Question
John Krasinski
While he has technically already played a variant of Reed Richards in Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, John Krasinski is still a fan favorite for the lead role. There is a huge amount of fan art as well as the Benedict Cumberbatch-starrer itself as his audition tape to prove why he would be perfect for the elastic suit. Krasinski can bring in the intellect, integrity, and suave of Reed Richards in the most balanced way.
While The Office star would be perfect for the role, it is quite unlikely since it has been made clear by Marvel that Krasinski’s appearance in Doctor Strange 2 was a one-time event and it was just a fan-pleasing moment that was kept in the film. Still, it would be cool to see Krasinski donning the suit one more time and not get killed by Scarlett Witch.
Also read: After Pedro Pascal’s Terrible Arc, James Gunn Casts His Own Brother As DCU’s Maxwell Lord
Rahul Kohli
Actor Rahul Kohli gained notoriety for his roles in Mike Flanagan’s Netflix horror series such as The Haunting of Bly Manor, Midnight Mass, The Midnight Club, and The Fall of the House of Usher. He has often been a fan favorite for Reed Richards and has been asked time and again by fans on his X account. Kohli has proved that he can bring suave and intelligent characters to life with his roles in The Haunting of Bly Manor and Midnight Mass.
The only obstacle in this casting apart from Pedro Pascal: Rahul Kohli does not want to do it. When he was asked on X if he would join the MCU as Mister Fantastic, he promptly denied it with the famous Steve Rogers meme from Avengers: Endgame which says he will not do it. Kohli has expressed his love for the DCU and has said (via Epic Stream) that he would prefer to join James Gunn’s cinematic universe as Dogwelder instead. He has already starred once in Supergirl.
Glenn Howerton
Glenn Howerton is known for his role as Dennis Reynolds in the sitcom It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. He would be perfect for the role of Reed Richards (not related to his role in the sitcom). He certainly looks the part and has already once been in the running for an MCU character. He lost out on the role of Star-Lord in James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy to another sitcom actor Chris Pratt. Howerton has also worked with director Matt Shakman, who has directed multiple episodes of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
