The Marvel Cinematic Universe is finally back, as the first Phase 4 show started streaming on Disney+ in mid-January. The first season of WandaVision is now available, and the first episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier premiered on Friday. Marvel will continue to release new Falcon episodes every Friday, followed by other TV shows and movies later this year, assuming the pandemic doesn’t complicate things again.
It’s actually the movies that will move the story forward, while the TV shows add more context to characters we would otherwise spend less time with during a regular film. That became clear as we got closer to the WandaVision finale, and the last episode cemented that idea. The TV show wasn’t supposed to introduce members of the Fantastic Four or X-Men teams or kickstart the bigger Phase 4 storyline. We’ll have to wait for the Marvel movies to do that. But while we wait, we keep seeing all sorts of MCU rumors about upcoming attractions. One of them concerns the Fantastic Four film, and it’s something fans will both love and hate.
Marvel announced in mid-December that Jon Watts would direct the first Fantastic Four film without specifying any details about cast members. Fans have theorized about who could play the team members ever since Disney’s Fox purchase was completed, focusing on a particular couple. John Krasinski and Emily Blunt would be perfect for Reed Richards and Sue Storm, many said. And we’ve had plenty of rumors that claimed the husband and wife duo would play the Fantastic Four couple.
The latest update comes from Small Screen, which claims that Krasinski and Blunt have indeed been in talks for the roles. That’s the good news. The bad news is that talks with Blunt have supposedly broken down, as the actress isn’t keen on inking a multi-picture deal that would directly impact their family life.
Here’s what a source familiar with Marvel’s projects told the site:
What I can confirm is that Emily Blunt has now ruled herself out of the running for Sue Storm in FF [Fantastic Four]. She was in talks with Marvel but opted not to sign the deal with them because it would have been for multiple films. She didn’t want to have to put her family through that.
Krasinski might still be in the running for Reed Richards, but the source thinks that given that Blunt turned down the offer, he might do the same:
Things with Krasinski aren’t so clear. He has been in contact with Marvel for the role of Reed Richards. However, there still haven’t been any new developments. Yet, Blunt turning down the Sue Storm role might be indicative of what could happen with Krasinski. The idea was to have both of them in the movie as Mr. Fantastic and the Invisible Woman.
Other recent reports have said that Jennifer Lawrence might be considered for the Invisible Woman role.
Fantastic Four won’t premiere earlier than 2023, given Marvel’s current calendar. A rumor said recently that the film might launch in late July 2023, although Marvel is yet to confirm a launch date. Marvel still has plenty of time to find its perfect cast. An announcement should follow at some point in the not-so-distant future, especially if any of the upcoming Marvel films will include Fantastic Four cameos or references.
