While Kevin Feige’s announcement about a Fantastic Four reboot in the MCU was certainly received well by the audience, the Marvel Studios president didn’t provide any other details to hold onto. So fans did that part for him as they unleashed unending fan theories and speculation about the whats and hows concerning the project.
Already there have been tons of rumors about the film’s potential cast and lead stars with Fantastic Four’s Human Torch being the center of all the gossip. And a new name seems to have been added to the list of actors who could probably represent the character, of Austin Butler.
Austin Butler is Rumored to Play Human Torch in the MCU’s Fantastic Four Reboot
Up until now, sources claimed that Chris Evans, who has already played Human Torch in Tim Story’s Fantastic Four (2005), is highly likely to reprise the role in the MCU reboot. But recent rumors state that a new actor will instead take over as Johnny Storm in the upcoming film.
Famous insider Jeff Sneider mentioned how Austin Butler might just be the one who ends up bagging the role in the movie. According to Sneider’s sources, the Elvis star’s agents are “putting him up for Human Torch” for the Matt Shakman-directed film. At the same time, Culture Spider on Twitter, which provides scoops about all things Marvel, also acknowledged the subject claiming Butler “will join the MCU.”
Butler, 31, started his career in the industry by earning roles in various teen dramas but his name has only recently started to surface in the spotlight after appearing in films like Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time in Hollywood and the 2022 musical drama titled Elvis. And his work in the latter even garnered him immense praise as well as accolades.
So, although the rumors about him being cast as Human Torch in the MCU reboot of Fantastic Four haven’t been confirmed yet, they could very well prove to be accurate.
Chris Evans vs. Austin Butler for the Role of Human Torch
While The Carrie Diaries actor does seem to be a great fit for the role, Evans might just have some edge over him since the latter has already led the Fantastic Four squad as Human Torch back in 2005 when the franchise was still under Fox’s umbrella. So the audience is already familiar with the MCU actor as the superhero.
Related: Deadpool 3 Allegedly Bringing Back Chris Evans to MCU as Johnny Storm
But given how the reboot is set to be a part of the sixth and final Phase of the MCU, who knows, maybe Marvel would prefer exploring other options that are more inclined towards having new actors like Butler on board. It is also important to keep in mind that we don’t know for certain whether Evans would be ready to return as Johnny Storm in the first place. So there are a lot of variables to account for.
Fantastic Four is scheduled to release on February 14, 2025.
Source: Twitter
