Will John Krasinski be in the Fantastic Four MCU movie? It’s a question that has ran through the minds of Marvel fans for what feels like an eternity, with a large section of the fanbase citing Krasinski as the perfect man to play Reed Richards, the leader of the superhero family. With the Fantastic Four confirmed to be getting their own MCU movie in the future, we assess just how likely it is that Krasinski will appear as Mister Fantastic.
While we don’t know when the Fantastic Four release date will be, we do know that the project is on the horizon, and the various cogs in that machine are starting to stir. Recently, Jon Watts stepped aside as the director of the prospective production, leading to even more speculation about John Krasinski’s possible involvement behind the camera, too.
Now, if you’ve seen Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, you’ll know exactly why we’re asking this question right now. But, if you haven’t seen anything about the various Doctor Strange 2 cameos, you may want to avoid the discussion we’re about to have here as there will be plenty of spoilers!
The fact that you’re still reading this tells us that you have seen the latest MCU movie, and are well aware of the appearance of Marvel’s Illuminati in Doctor Strange 2. And, of course, sitting on one of those Illuminati thrones, was John Krasinski.
All those fan-made images of Krasinski in the Fantastic Four costume, sporting a beard and the trademark streak of grey hair of Reed Richards, finally came to fruition. It’s truly astonishing that Kevin Feige and the Marvel casting team actually made it happen.
But, with that particular universe’s version of Reed Richards meeting an untimely demise in the Doctor Strange 2 ending, it remains to be seen whether Krasinski’s MCU debut will be the last we see of the actor, or if he has a much bigger part to play in Marvel’s Phase 4 and beyond.
The rules of Marvel’s multiverses could play a big part in ascertaining how likely Krasinski is to return. Judging by all the different universes we visit in Doctor Strange 2, one thing seems to be a recurring pattern; the variants of each character all look pretty much the same and are certainly played by the same actor.
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On Earth-838, Peggy Carter is still played by Hayley Atwell, Black Bolt is played by Anson Mount, Maria Rambeau is played by Lashana Lynch, Karl Mordo is played by Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Patrick Stewart is still the instantly recognisable face for Professor Charles Xavier.
The same goes for all the different Doctor Strange variants we encounter, who are played by Benedict Cumberbatch. So, it stands to reason then that any Reed Richards we see in the future, in any universe, would look the same as the one we saw in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, right?
Well, there are a few spanners to throw in that logic. First of all, if Patrick Stewart has reprised his role from the X-Men movies of the 2000s, doesn’t that mean there’s a chance that Ioan Gruffudd’s version of Reed Richards exists in the MCU, somewhere? And, what about Miles Teller?
If we consider the recent Marvel action movie Spider-Man: No Way Home, we know that the MCU is not afraid to crossover multiple versions of a character. When the multiverse ripped open in that movie, Peter Parker looked different in each timeline. By combining the different eras of Spider-Man movies, Marvel has broken the rule it appeared to establish in Doctor Strange 2.
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Having said that, the Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield Spider-Man movies are far more popular than the much-maligned versions of the Fantastic Four we have had in the past. The decision to bring back those actors was arguably far more concerned with fan service, than it was with narrative continuity and multiversal rules.
So, let’s move away from the science behind the multiverse, and look at this from a more pragmatic standpoint. It’s very unlikely that Kevin Feige, the mastermind behind the whole MCU, would bring an actor of Krasinski’s stature, only to turn him into string-cheese and never utilise him again.
John Krasinski as Reed Richards was a dream come true for all us Marvel fans pic.twitter.com/QKAkAxklMi
— Mr Fantastic (@aleeeatif) May 8, 2022
It just wouldn’t make sense to give the Marvel fanbase the exact casting they have clamoured for all this time, for the sake of a five-minute cameo. It’s far more likely that Feige recognises the value of fan service, as well as the growing reputation of John Krasinski, and has positioned the actor as one of the focal points of the MCU moving forward.
In Multiverse of Madness, Reed Richards tells Scarlet Witch he has children, “and a wife,” referencing of course Sue Storm. And, here’s where that fan-casting magic could play its part again, with many speculating that Krasinski’s real-life wife Emily Blunt, would be the perfect partner for his Reed Richards.
Happy Mother’s Day to Sue Storm💔 pic.twitter.com/z73uWlo4XF
— Matt Ramos (@therealsupes) May 8, 2022
We already know the power couple love collaborating together, after their successful venture into the world of horror movies, with the A Quiet Place franchise. Again, it makes perfect sense that Kevin Feige would deliver exactly what the fans want, while capitalising on one of the most popular couples in Hollywood.
Not only am I confident that John Krasinski will indeed return as Reed Richards for the Fantastic Four MCU movie, but I’m going to go one better and say Krasinski will also direct the movie. And I’m not the only one to think this, either.
I have no inside info whatsoever, but based on my conversation with John Krasinski in 2020–
I would bet all my money that this man will be directing Fantastic Four pic.twitter.com/YIMxVvRHwd
— Chris Killian (@chriskillian) May 1, 2022
Chris Killian, of ComicBookMovie.com, recently shared a clip from an interview with Krasinski from 2020 on his Twitter, where the actor and filmmaker is asked whether he would direct a Marvel movie in the future. By the sounds of it, Krasinski is definitely keen on the idea.
“That’s a cool idea. I’m such a huge fan of Marvel. They have such a great formula,” Krasinski said. “Yeah, I’d jump in there. In Kevin, I trust. That dude is not only the most talented guy, but the nicest guy. So, yeah, whatever he wants, we discuss it,” he added.
The nature of that response certainly suggests that Krasinski and Feige had at least had conversations at that point, and now, of course, we know that must be true after the former’s appearance in Doctor Strange 2. Did those conversations extend to Krasinski taking a seat in a director’s chair for the studio? Who knows!
With the surprising exit of Jon Watts from the Fantastic Four movie on April 29, 2022, we were all left wondering who would replace him on the project. At the time, the announcement seemed fairly innocuous, with Watts and Feige claiming the departure was amicable.
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Now, with Krasinski officially part of the MCU, speculation is mounting that he could be the reason Watts stepped away from the Fantastic Four reboot. If Krasinski is indeed playing Reed Richards in the movie, it would seem foolish not to install him as the director, too.
After his incredible work on the two A Quiet Place movies, it’s clear that Krasinski has a knack for narrative-driven filmmaking, and finding the heart in blockbuster movies. And, let’s not forget that the key to the Fantastic Four is family, something Krasinski’s monster movies handle wonderfully.
We shall have to wait and see what fate lies ahead for Krasinski and his iteration as Mister Fantastic, but right now, we can’t imagine anyone else taking on the role. And, while he’s at it, you may as well get him behind the camera, too.