Joseph Quinn seems to be the star with the Midas touch in Hollywood at the moment. After his breakthrough performance as Eddie Munson in Stranger Things, Quinn is now making a play for the big leagues. Apart from bagging a pivotal role alongside Lupita Nyong’o in A Quiet Place: Day One, the rising star also caught the eye of renowned director Ridley Scott and Paramount Pictures who cast him in the highly anticipated Gladiator 2.
Now, Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios want a piece of Quinn’s charisma as well. The franchise has officially welcomed the actor into the MCU by casting him as Johnny Storm, aka Human Torch in The Fantastic Four reboot. While this will surely catapult Quinn to superstardom, many Marvel fans are not too pleased with his casting and are questioning his ability to fill the big shoes of Chris Evans and Michael B. Jordan with regard to looks and talent.
Joseph Quinn is Officially Johnny Storm in MCU’s The Fantastic Four
Joseph Quinn is living his dream life right now. The actor who made a huge splash with his role in Stranger Things is currently the most favored young star for many projects. Following his performance in the hit supernatural series, Quinn got the call to be part of two marquee projects, namely A Quiet Place: Day One, and Ridley Scott’s eagerly awaited Gladiator 2.
Now, Marvel Studios has made the talented star a part of the franchise by casting him as Johnny Storm, aka Human Torch in MCU’s The Fantastic Four reboot. Quinn will share screen space with Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, who will play Mr Fantastic, Invisible Woman, and The Thing respectively. Marvel made the official announcement on Valentine’s Day through an update on their X handle.
While this is a huge step forward in Quinn’s career, there is a lot of expectation on the Howard’s End star who is taking over the role from none other than two Sexiest Men Alive winners, Chris Evans and Michael B. Jordan, who both played Johnny Storm before branching off to bigger and more popular Marvel gigs.
While Evans’ arresting presence was matched by his inherent wit and charm, Jordan’s tangible physicality made him universally appealing to audiences. Being expectedly big shoes to fill for Quinn, it remains to be seen how the young actor handles the part and brings his own unique nuances to the table.
Marvel Fans Are Unsure If Joseph Quinn Can Do Justice To His MCU Role
Joseph Quinn seems to be having all the answers in Hollywood at the moment. Following his casting in many prestigious projects, the Stranger Things star is now a Marvel man, and will play Johnny Storm aka Human Torch in MCU’s The Fantastic Four reboot.
But fans seem to be critical of his casting in the film, especially since he has taken over the role from his famous predecessors, Chris Evans and Michael B. Jordan. While some netizens were scathing in their comments on Quinn’s s*x appeal and physicality in comparison to the two Marvel stars, others believed that his acting chops were also not sufficient to be able to take on the role with conviction.
goodbye to pretty men playing johnny storm https://t.co/fxhOIEPC7L pic.twitter.com/4E6lHJINZz
— kaeden (@wandasitcoms) February 14, 2024
for those mad at this, joseph quinn can't act to save his life either so don't even get me started on that 😭
— kaeden (@wandasitcoms) February 14, 2024
All I see when I see him is Eddie and I didn’t even like his character in Stranger Things😭
— Thomas Ramos (@ThomasRamos303) February 14, 2024
They actually cast someone who doesn't even have a sex appeal 😒
marvel is the worst on this one— ΛC 🥀 ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっ 𝑻𝒐. 𝑹𝒂𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒍 𝑾𝒆𝒊𝒔𝒛 (@hollerspice94) February 14, 2024
Ugly British men should never be allowed in public
— Starlantern (@Starlantern2814) February 14, 2024
While the harsh criticisms towards Quinn could be viewed as rather extreme or unfair, the fact remains that stepping into the shoes of bonafide superstars like Chris Evans and Michael B. Jordan is no mean feat. It will be interesting to see the actor’s approach to the role and the comparisons that come with it when The Fantastic Four releases next year.
The Fantastic Four is slated to release in theaters on July 25th, 2025.
