The rumors are swirling around the MCU Fantastic Four, but who will play the Marvel’s First Family? We’ve got you covered along with a couple picks of our own.
Between this month’s San Diego Comic-Con and September’s D23 Expo, Marvel fans are ready for some major announcements. Fans are ravenous for news on the MCU front, and the theories are brimming over. Among the much anticipated topics is the mysterious Fantastic Four movie. So far, little has been revealed about the FF’s MCU arrival, and gossip indicates Marvel will announce the full cast this year.
This is such a momentous occasion because the FF were Marvel Comics’ first stars. Debuting in 1961, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s Fantastic Four #1 marked the beginning of the Marvel Age. The title was a hit with readers, and it kept the publisher afloat when other series were struggling to find their fan bases.
Unlike the Golden Age superteams, the FF was a family of superheroes who often acted like an actual family. They didn’t always get along, and there were frequent personality conflicts, but at the end of the day, they loved one another even when showing that love was a challenge. The familial themes resonated with comic fans, and it paved the way for the MCU decades later.
Who can we expect to star as the newest Fantastic Four? Step inside as we break down the tantalizing possibilities for each character.
Mister Fantastic
The backbone of Marvel’s First Family, Reed Richards is considered the most intelligent character in the Marvel-616. He is an expert on the Multiverse, and well before Rick Sanchez formed the Council of Ricks, Mister Fantastic had the Council of Reeds. Along with the FF, he also was a founding member of the Illuminati. This is Marvel’s go-to scientist, and the FF movie needs someone who gives off a down-to-earth intellectual vibe.
John Krasinski
Fans had been casting Jim from The Office for years, and Kevin Feige delivered…on his terms. He was quoted as saying he wanted to give fans what they wanted and let them see Krasinksi as Reed Richards. Then Marvel Studios pulled its famous trolling by ripping him away in an instant. Of course, this was the Earth-838 Mister Fantastic that was literally shredded by Scarlet Witch in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, so he can come back, right? Sure, he could, but he won’t.
Jamie Dornan
There are multiple reports that Dornan has joined the Marvel family. Further, he is supposedly involved in Fantastic Four. The 40-year-old actor rose to fame as Christian Grey in the 50 Shades of Grey films. While the movies may have been critically lampooned, Dornan established himself as a leading man. If he has indeed signed with Marvel Studios, we may be looking at our fourth Reed Richards.
Penn Badgley
Forbes reports that Marvel Studios has been courting the You and Gossip Girl star as its official Mister Fantastic. The thing to consider here is whether or not Dornan has signed onto the movie. With Badgley being the younger of the two, it would make more sense for him to play the Human Torch.
The Invisible Woman
Reed may be the backbone, but Sue Richards is the team’s heart. Although she began her career as a damsel in distress type of character, the Invisible Woman has evolved into a formidable superhero. Not only does she still turn invisible, but her force shield powers are incredibly strong. I wouldn’t be surprised if she leads the team in their MCU debut, so the role will need someone with strong screen presence.
Emily Blunt
Since the fans cast Krasinski as Mister Fantastic, it was only natural that they petitioned for his real-life spouse to play the Invisible Woman. Judging by her performances in both A Quiet Place films, she could easily pull off the role. Since her husband was wasted in MOM, it stands to reason that she isn’t in the running for the part. What could have been.
Melissa Benoist
The rumored frontrunner for the part is no stranger to superheroes. Although the CW Supergirl show left much to be desired, Melissa Benoist nailed the part of Superman’s Kryptonian cousin. Marvel Studios loves its campy performances, and Supergirl was filled with enough camp to make Kevin Feige cry.
Natalia Dyer
Stranger Things star Natalia Dyer is a popular choice thanks to the success of ST4. Despite actually being 27 years old, she plays the part of high schooler and teenage detective Nancy in Netflix’s ode to 1980s pop culture. Personally, I lean toward Emily Blunt in the role, but I could see Dyer making a good Sue Storm, especially if Marvel wants a younger FF. In fact, Dyer could pair well with Badgley as Marvel’s power couple.
The Thing
The latest rumor is that Thing will debut sans First Family in Marvel’s legal comedy, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. Since we already met a Reed Richards variant, it looks like Marvel is introducing the Fantastic Four one at a time to build the hype for their movie.
If there’s any one character that fans are excited to see, it’s Thing. He’s the average joe turned superhero who struggles with accepting his new form results in self loathing. Thing has always been portrayed with a gritty lower east side Manhattan accent, and he exudes classic tough guy. Deep down, he’s actually sensitive and caring, and that dichotomy to his personality is what needs to shine brightest.
Jason Segel
Is he a man, or is he a Muppet…or is he The Thing?
The latest rumor is that Marvel has tapped the How I Met Your Mother actor to help bring TheThing to life. Considering The Thing’s rocky skin and monstrous size, he likely will be a CGI character with Segal doing the voice. Marvel Studios has gone headfirst into comedy, and casting a comedian in the role fits their Phase Four direction, but many fans wonder if he is the best fit. Of course, fans of Thor: Love and Thunder are all in for another escapist romp.
Mark Wahlberg
Maybe he’s from Boston, but Mark Wahlberg’s natural accent and tough guy attitude make him the better choice for The Thing. He’s also got his comedy chops as we have seen in movies like The Other Guys and both Daddy’s Home films, so he should be able to satisfy Marvel’s penchant for silliness and action.
The Human Torch
From the 1960s well into the ‘70s, the Human Torch was the most popular character in all of Marvel Comics. In fact, he was the publisher’s first breakout star, and Johnny Storm graced the cover of many comics outside the FF pantheon. Anytime Marvel needed to boost sales, they’d simply put Johnny on the artwork, and the job was done. He also was the first member of the FF to get his own solo series, and he starred in Strange Tales before Doctor Strange took the lead role.
Human Torch’s charm and charisma need to translate onto the screen, and he is likely to be a fan-favorite character in the MCU. Before Captain America, the role made a budding star out of Chris Evans, and it gave Michael B. Jordan his first taste of superhero cinema. Who could pull off this feat? Let’s take a look at the contenders.
Jamie Dornan
Here he is again. No one knows what role Dornan will play in the MCU, and there’s been no confirmation that he is part of Fantastic Four. Assuming he is in this particular movie, the assumption is that he will play either Mister Fantastic or Human Torch. Maybe I haven’t seen him in enough roles, but I see him as more of a Reed Richards than a Johnny Storm, but he could probably pull off either part. The better spot for him would be Doctor Doom, though there are rumors that Doom will get a separate movie to introduce him to the MCU.
Logan Lerman
Another name that has been tossed around for Johnny Storm has been Logan Lerman. Many of us may still think of him as the teenage actor from those terrible Percy Jackson movies, but Lerman convinced me of his acting prowess in the Amazon Prime series, Hunters. Paired with Al Pacino, Lerman held his own, and he has the charm to make a believable Human Torch.
Ryan Gosling
There are no rumors of Ryan Gosling joining the FF cast, but I think he would make a great Johnny Storm. Sure, he has the world stirred up after he commented about playing Ghost Rider, but that doesn’t mean he is the frontrunner for the role. While he has the acting chops to pull off Johnny Blaze, he would make for an even better Johnny Storm. Reportedly, he wants to join the MCU, and the word on the internet is that he reached out to the Russo Brothers about a superhero role, which has churned the gossip waters.