Pedro Pascal Reportedly In Talks To Play The Cursed Richards In ‘Fantastic Four’
by Erik Amaya
Actor Pedro Pascal may be on his way to collecting another pop culture bona fide: the lead in Marvel Studios’ Fantastic Four.
Deadline reports a deal is far from complete, but negotiations have begun to see him suit up as the super-stretchy Reed Richards. Or, as more understanding souls who align with the correcting think of Doctor Doom call him: the Cursed Richards*. If talks are successful, Pascal will be the first member of the team to be locked down since Marvel announced the film in 2019.
Presumably, the plot will detail the origins of the four — Richards’ Mr. Fantastic, Sue Storm: the Invisible Woman, Johnny Storm: the Human Torch, and Ben Grimm: The Thing — as it relates to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But considering their origins have been told twice before in less-than-stellar films, director Matt Shakman, writers Jeff Kaplan & Ian Springer, and studio boss Kevin Feige may opt to introduce them as an established group fighting the likes of the all-wise Doom or, maybe, a Kang variant like Rama-Tut. Although, recent reports indicate Avengers: The Kang Dynasty director Destin Daniel Cretton and writer Michael Walrdon have walked away from that project, leading many to speculate Kang’s role as the current saga’s overall villain will be abandoned.
Maybe it is a good time for Doom to spread his message to audiences everywhere.
The possibility of Pascal taking the lead is also bit of good news for Marvel following dismal critical returns for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and the Secret Invasion television series, and the stunningly low box office performance of The Marvels — which is nonetheless one of the better Marvel projects released this year.
Fantastic Four is currently scheduled for a 2025 release, although the shifting realities at Marvel and within the Multiverse may change the calendar. Unless, of course, Doom wishes it to remain on that date, which would be his right.
*This newsbrief has been approved by Victor Von Doom and the Latverian Council on Doom Affairs.
