Marvel sets its ‘Fantastic Four’: Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby among stars suiting up
Roses are red, violets are blue. Marvel just confirmed it’s “Fantastic Four” stars, let’s see who’s who.
Marvel treated its fans to a Valentine’s Day surprise Wednesday, unveiling on social media that Pedro Pascal (“The Last of Us”), Vanessa Kirby (“Napoleon”), Joseph Quinn (“Stranger Things”) and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (“The Bear”) will suit up for the latest take on the superhero quartet. The studio, owned by Disney, shared an illustration by artist Wes Burt of its newly cast stars celebrating Valentine’s Day in the group’s signature blue suits.
“Happy Valentine’s Day from Marvel’s First Family!” the studio captioned its post, before adding that the film will premiere on July 25, 2025.
A slew of headlines painted Marvel as a franchise in trouble. The full picture is more complicated — but for some, the frustration is all too real.
Pascal, already a mainstay in the Disney family with “The Mandalorian,” will flex his acting chops as Dr. Reed Richards, also known as Mr. Fantastic. The super-stretchy hero was previously portrayed by Alex Hyde-White, Ioan Gruffudd and Miles Teller. “The Office” star John Krasinski most recently brought Mr. Fantastic to life in 2022’s “Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.”
Kirby, an Oscar nominee, will make her MCU debut as Sue Storm, the Invisible Woman, after appearances in the “Fast & Furious” spinoff “Hobbs & Shaw” and the most recent installments of the “Mission Impossible” franchise. The British actor’s film credits also include dramas “Pieces of a Woman” and “The World to Come.” Rebecca Staab, Jessica Alba and Kate Mara each played the Invisible Woman in previous films.
“Stranger Things” breakout Quinn (who played metal-head Eddie Munson) will star as Jonathan Storm, a.k.a. the Human Torch. Jay Underwood and MCU alumni Chris Evans and Michael B. Jordan previously brought life to the fiery hero. Quinn’s television credits include “Dickensian,” “Game of Thrones,” “Howards End” and “Catherine the Great.”
Joanna Robinson’s new book, “MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios,” chronicles the rise and stumbles of Hollywood’s most formidable franchise. Disney CEO Bob Iger has indicated he wants to pump the brakes on the Marvel universe.
With “Fantastic Four,” Emmy winner Moss-Bachrach will stay in business with Disney. He will play Ben Grimm, a former astronaut turned rock monster known as the Thing. Moss-Bachrach, also known for Disney+’s “Andor,” follows former Thing actors Michael Bailey Smith, Michael Chiklis and Jamie Bell.
Marvel’s “The Fantastic Four” will be the third attempt at bringing Stan Lee and Jack Kirby‘s heroes to the big screen. In 1994, Oley Sassone directed “The Fantastic Four,” an unreleased film that touted filmmaker Roger Corman among its producers. Corman recounted the shelved film’s rocky production in the 2015 documentary “Doomed!: The Untold Story of Roger Corman’s The Fantastic Four.”
A little more than a decade later, Tim Story delivered his 2005 film “Fantastic 4,” which spawned the sequel “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.”
The most recent attempt was almost 10 years ago with Josh Trank‘s 2015 entry, “Fantastic Four.” Franchise hopes quickly fizzled out as the film delivered a lackluster performance for critics and the box office.
Now, director Matt Shakman has the “Fantastic Four” in his hands, helping bring the MCU to its newest phase.
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