Fantastic Four finally has a release date, and we now know that the highly anticipated reboot will kick off Phase 6 of the MCU. The movie will premiere on November 8th, 2024, a year before the final movie in the Multiverse Saga, Avengers: Secret Wars. While we still don’t know the MCU’s Fantastic Four cast, we might know the surprising name of a new Mister Fantastic candidate: Henry Cavill.
That’s quite the rumor and one you should take with a grain of salt as it’s coming from anonymous sources. It’s not that the other MCU spoilers and leaks are more trustworthy, but many originate from sources with a proven track record. That said, Cavill playing the MCU’s Reed Richards is undoubtedly an exciting prospect. At least as compelling as John Krasinski continuing to play Mister Fantastic. Mind you, some spoilers might follow below.
Will John Krasinski be in Fantastic Four?
Marvel surprised fans in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness by fulfilling their Reed Richards wish. John Krasinski played Mister Fantastic in the Doctor Strange sequel with a big twist.
This Mister Fantastic version comes from Earth-838. And Krasinski’s character died at the hands of Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen), who took advantage of his massive arrogance. Well, all the Illuminati were easy prey for Wanda exactly because they underestimated the Scarlet Witch threat.
On the other hand, Henry Cavill was never a fan favorite for the Reed Richards role. But that doesn’t stop Marvel from giving the prominent MCU role to someone other than Krasinski.
The Office alumni talked about his Doctor Strange 2 role for the first time recently. But Krasinski dodged questions about his return to the MCU for the Fantastic Four movie. He’s definitely not ready to confirm anything. Nor would he steal that moment from Marvel. The studio is expected to unveil the Fantastic Four cast at a later event — possibly D23 Expo in September.
With that in mind, the multiverse rules do not prevent Marvel from using different actors for the same role. We already have precedents. No Way Home gives us three Spider-Man variants. And two Lokis are in love in Loki, a TV show that also introduces a wide variety of Loki characters.
The Henry Cavill rumor
Best known for his Superman and Geralt of Rivia, Henry Cavill would be a tremendous addition to the MCU. And he would make an amazing Reed Richards, guaranteeing him a place in MCU history. We do expect Mister Fantastic to be one of the central figures in the battle against Kang (Jonathan Majors) that will follow in the Multiverse Saga.
But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. There’s no indication that the actor is indeed pursuing talks with Marvel to play Reed Richards. However, there is a wild rumor claiming that’s the case. Examining the rumor, The Illuminerdi makes an entire case that Cavill is ready to play this specific superhero.
Reed Richard’s best asset is his mind, not his elasticity. Like Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), he’ll be developing all sorts of tech marvels to aid the Fantastic Four and the entire world.
Henry Cavill “auditioned” for the Mister Fantastic nerd role when he put together that video of him assembling a PC. That clip went viral, showing that Cavill could sell that side of Mister Fantastic. That’s what the blog speculates, at least.
But, again, there’s no way to prove that Henry Cavill is in negotiations for the Mister Fantastic role. Or that John Krasinski is out. Hopefully, Marvel will reveal the Fantastic Four cast next month. The clock is ticking, and production will have to start soon for the film to make that early November 2024 release.
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