Marvel announced the MCU’s Fantastic Four reboot back in the summer of 2019. That was well before a dangerous pandemic brought Hollywood to a grinding halt. As a result, Marvel took its time announcing any further details, and the studio used Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness to test the fan-favorite choice for the Mr. Fantastic role, John Krasinski. That was only a variant of the character, and the actor has confirmed he won’t return to the role.
Then came the Hollywood strikes, as the writers’ and actors’ guilds sought better deals from the studios. This caused another round of delays and forced Marvel to postpone Fantastic Four cast announcements. There were still plenty of rumors about Marvel’s choices for the four superhero roles and the villains the First Family will face in the movie.
Fast-forward to mid-November 2023, and word on the street is that Marvel wants to start shooting Fantastic Four on January 15th, 2024. If that’s accurate, it must mean the Fantastic Four cast has been finalized, and an announcement is pending. Mind you, some spoilers might follow.
Fantastic Four might start shooting soon
Just a few days ago, Marvel had to delay four MCU movies, including Deadpool 3. Thankfully, the Deadpool sequel will still premiere next year, as the movie is partly done. It’ll also be the only MCU theatrical release of 2024.
Interestingly, Marvel did not delay Fantastic Four, which kept its May 2nd, 2025 release date. This implied the movie would soon have to start shooting. And that Marvel would have to finally unveil the film’s cast.
Insider Daniel Richtman said on Twitter/X that Marvel will begin filming Fantastic Four in January. Separately, a listing on Production List offers a January 15th, 2024, start date for the production. The film will start showing in the UK. Here’s the synopsis on the website:
Reed Richards, Ben Grimm, Susan Storm, and her brother, Johnny Storm, were forever changed during an experimental space flight that exposed them to cosmic rays, which gave them superhuman powers and abilities. Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, and the Thing utilize their scientific backgrounds to band together and defend the world against perilous threats.
A few days before the Fantastic Four production start dates emerged, Jeff Sneider said that Marvel was looking to shoot the film early next year. Pedro Pascal’s packed schedule could have been a problem, Sneider wrote in The InSneider. But the two parties have figured it out.
When will Marvel announce the cast?
Pedro Pascal is the most recent rumored casting for the Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic role. Sneider says that Marvel considered all sorts of actors before him for the role, including Christopher Abbott, Jamie Dornan, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Adam Driver. The latter has been a frontrunner, according to reports we’ve discussed in the past. Other actors also appeared in Fantastic Four rumors this year.
It appears that both Gyllenhaal and Driver wanted too much money. Meanwhile, Kevin Feige is trying to contain talent costs, per the report. That’s certainly surprising, considering that Secret Invasion reportedly cost $200 million to make. And we all know how great a project that turned out to be. But I digress.
Costs are the reasons why Emma Stone isn’t playing Sue Storm/The Invisible Woman. That Fantastic Four role went to Vanessa Kirby, Sneider says. That’s a name we heard months ago. That’s also when we heard that Fantastic Four will be a story where Sue Storm gets the lead. Sneider also notes that:
With Vanessa Kirby widely tipped to be Sue Storm (aka the Invisible Woman), who is said to be the clear lead of the film, and Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach poised to play Johnny Storm (aka the Human Torch) and Ben Grimm (aka the Thing), respectively, the feeling at Marvel was that they needed a big star for Mister Fantastic.
The quote above also gives us the other two Fantastics. Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach will play Johnny Storm/The Human Torch and Ben Grimm/The Thing, respectively. After his performance in The Bear, I couldn’t be more excited to see EMB wear superhero suits in the MCU.
Finally, the report mentions Oscar Winner Javier Bardem as the likely actor to play Galactus, the villain of Fantastic Four. Previously, rumors said Antonio Banderas would get the role. Furthermore, Marvel will cast a female Silver Surfer, but it’s unclear who that character will be. Sneider doesn’t mention a name for the role.
Remember that Mila Kunis rumor that said she would play The Thing? What if her meeting with Fantastic Four director Matt Shakman was about the Silver Surfer? I’m only speculating, of course.
Hopefully, we won’t have to wait that long, and Marvel will soon reveal the Fantastic Four cast, especially if shooting is set to start in January.
