The MCU as we know it wouldn’t exist without Robert Downey, Jr. While that sounds hyperbolic — and not particularly original — it is a fact. His embodiment of Tony Stark, a character who up until that point was best known for his stint as an alcoholic in Bob Layton, David Michelinie, and John Romita Jr.'s fantastic Bronze Age Iron Man arc, gave the Marvel film franchise its first smash hit and a beating heart to keep its blood flowing. However you feel about the movies that have been released since Tony's death in Avengers: Endgame it's fair to say that the MCU has struggled to find that same consistency without Iron Man around to anchor the ever-more cosmic and sprawling franchise.
But with the massive Valentine's Day casting announcement of the Fantastic Four which finally confirmed that Pedro Pascal will be taking on the role of Reed Richards, the MCU may have found its next North Star. The fan-favorite actor has proven his chops time and time again and could change the MCU forever by playing one of the most seminal and formative characters in the 85-year history of the Marvel Universe.
Let’s dig in on just how important Pascal’s casting could be for the MCU moving forward!
From his work in fantastic indie movies like If Beale Street Could Talk and Prospect to massive franchise TV hits like The Last of Us and The Mandalorian, Pascal has carved out a place as one of Hollywood's most exciting actors. He can equally evoke both humor and gravitas while leading epic genre projects that center around the humanity he brings. All of that makes him the perfect lead for the future of the MCU.
During the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase 4 and Phase 5, the once untouchable blockbuster juggernaut has languished — and I say that as someone who has found some of my favorite MCU films during this era. But there’s no denying that the series has struggled in recent years to find the same cohesive success and storytelling that the first decade of the franchise was known for. Despite the fact that both Carol Danvers and Doctor Strange seemed primed to become that central force, neither truly replaced Stark as the MCU's main figure. And while Tom Holland's Spider-Man has played a major role, it's hard for Marvel Studios to build a franchise around him when he's contractually complicated by the Sony deal. Sure, great new characters like Ms. Marvel and Monica Rambeau could end up playing more important roles, but so far they've just been enjoyable additions rather than featured leads.
Having Pedro take on Reed Richards feels like it could absolutely change that trajectory. Not only does his casting promise an older, more mature set of heroes for the MCU, but alongside his castmates — Ebon Moss-Bachrach as the Thing, Vanessa Kirby as Invisible Woman, and Joseph Quinn as the Human Torch — this feels like the kind of cast that you spend years choosing because you know they could be here for… well, years.
One of the biggest criticisms of the recent MCU movies has been the lack of impactful choices that point towards where the franchise will go next. That might seem like a strange thing to take issue with, but — seeing as the MCU was built on character actors showing up in post-credits scenes or cameos who would go on to play important roles in other movies — it is in this case an understandable one. It feels unlikely we'll ever see Harry Styles return as Thanos' brother, Starfox, or that Patton Oswalt will get to take on the role of Pip the Troll outside of the Eternals in a meaningful way, if at all (in my opinion that's a true shame as the two have some of the best cosmic adventures in the Marvel Comics). Even main characters like Adam Warlock, played by Will Poulter in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, feel unlikely to come into play again without a massive reimagining. Then there was the addition of Ted Lasso's Bret Goldstein as a CG-enhanced Hercules in Thor: Love and Thunder, another role that feels destined to be lost to the annals of an era of really fun stunt casting that will not lead anywhere.
It's not just Pedro, though. It's the fact that he's been cast as someone who at times has been one of the most vital characters in the history of the Marvel Universe. Yet thanks to licensing shenanigans and less-than-beloved movie adaptations, Mister Fantastic isn’t quite an A-list character to some younger fans. That puts Pascal in a similar situation to Downey, Jr., who was able to craft a version of Tony that felt unique to him. Like Tony Stark, Reed is a fantastically clever and often complex genius whose scientific creations could push forward the technology of the universe just as Stark did throughout the Infinity Saga. And then there's the fact that if we look back at his comics history, he's one of the most important Marvel characters ever. As a founding member of the Illuminati, a former Avenger, and of course the leader of the Fantastic Four, as well as one of the smartest men alive, he's always been a vital part of the Marvel U.
Plus, just as Stark got to establish the world and lore of the MCU in Iron Man, Reed could have the chance to do that here in a new way, especially if the announcement image is anything to go by. The gorgeous illustration by Wesley Burt seems to place the Fantastic Four in 1963 – we know this because fans have puzzled out that Ben is reading an issue of Life with President Lyndon Johnson on the cover that came out that year. Sure, that could just be a nod to the fact that the team debuted in the ’60s, — 1961 to be specific — by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee. But it feels more like it's implying the film will follow one of the most popular fan theories: that we'll meet Marvel's First Family in the 1960s (likely an alt-universe version) before transporting them into the present at some point. If that's the case, then Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm will get to establish a new era and part of the MCU that we've never really seen before.
Another big thing that Pascal brings to the role is charm. Reed Richards is a man of dualities. In the comics, he's often cranky, isolated, and driven, but occasionally he's charming and romantic. Casting someone as inherently charming as Pascal — along with the sweetly romantic announcement image released on
Valentine's Day — means that we'll likely be getting more of the charming side of Reed, another hint that they're planning on keeping him around and perhaps making him their new fan fave hero. But as The Last of Us has shown, Pascal can also be scary, violent, and tormented. That opens up some interesting options for a dual role if the MCU decides to explore the evil genius version of Reed known as the Maker, who plays an important part in the 2015 Secret Wars comics, which look to be a big influence on the upcoming film (and probably the Avengers: Secret Wars movie itself).
Ultimately, this casting is a statement akin to the casting of RDJ as Iron Man. Tony Stark was a well-known and important character to Marvel Comics fans, but he wasn’t as commonly known to the general public. He was also just as often unlikable as he was dashing and delightful. Reed Richards is a comic book character with a similar conundrum. Most audiences probably think of him as being from “those old movies with Jessica Alba,” but he’s actually a key player in the Marvel pantheon. And, his cold and focused nature has often set his mind at the center of the Marvel Universe, but not his heart. With the casting of Pedro Pascal in Fantastic Four, Marvel Studios may be looking to change that, making this version of Richards a fantastically charming and sentimental anchor as the most lucrative film franchise in the history of cinema looks to escape the Negative Zone of Phases 4 and 5.
Rosie Knight is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything from anime to comic books to kaiju to kids movies to horror flicks. She has over half a decade of experience in entertainment journalism with bylines at Nerdist, Den of Geek, Polygon, and more.
