Marvel Reportedly Hoping To Cast ‘The Mandalorian’ Star Pedro Pascal As Reed Richards In ‘Fantastic Four’

Din (Pedro Pascal) removes his helmet within an Imperial facility in The Mandalorian Season 2 Episode 7 "Chapter 15: The Believer" (2020), Disney Plus / Mr. Fantastic strikes a dashing portrait on Alex Ross' 'Timeless' variant cover to Fantastic Four Vol. 6 #24 "Cold Snap" (2020), Marvel Comics
Din (Pedro Pascal) removes his helmet within an Imperial facility in The Mandalorian Season 2 Episode 7 "Chapter 15: The Believer" (2020), Disney Plus / Mr. Fantastic strikes a dashing portrait on Alex Ross' 'Timeless' variant cover to Fantastic Four Vol. 6 #24 "Cold Snap" (2020), Marvel Comics

In what would be, if confirmed, perhaps one of the most uninspired casting choices of all time, numerous whispers have suggested that Marvel’s current front runner for the role of Reed Richards in their upcoming Fantastic Four film is none other than The Mandalorian‘s Pedro Pascal.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 28: Pedro Pascal attends the Mandalorian special launch event at El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, California on February 28, 2023. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 28: Pedro Pascal attends the Mandalorian special launch event at El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, California on February 28, 2023. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney)

RELATED RUMOR: Marvel’s ‘Fantastic Four’ Film Will See Team Originate “Not Just From The 1960s But Also A Different Universe”

Word of Marvel’s supposed interest in having The Last of Us actor serve as the titular team’s elastic leader was first raised to the public by noted scooper Daniel ‘DanielRPK’ Richtman, who published this scoop to his personal Patreon account on November 15th.

Archive Link Daniel 'DanielRPK' Richtman via Twitter
Archive Link Daniel ‘DanielRPK’ Richtman via Twitter

Shortly thereafter, fellow scooper MyTimeToShineHello asserted via their personal Twitter account, “Looks like we have our Reed Richards! Pedro Pascal”.

Archive Link MyTimeToShineHello via Twitter
Archive Link MyTimeToShineHello via Twitter

In a follow-up tweet, the scooper offered the caveat, “Putting this out there just in case but it’s possible there was a confusion and he’s actually playing the villain.”

Archive Link MyTimeToShineHello via Twitter
Archive Link MyTimeToShineHello via Twitter

Interestingly, such an outcome would line-up with the previous rumor, as first raised by veteran entertainment journalist Jeff Sneider, that the Fantastic Four‘s “main villain is Galactus and I’m told that Galactus will be Latino.”

Unfortunately, MyTimeToShineHello did not offer any further details regarding the possibility of Pascal’s alternative casting.

Galactus appears before the Shi'ar Magistrate in defense of Reed Richards in Fantastic Four Vol. 1 #262 "The Trial of Reed Richards" (1983), Marvel Comics. Words by John Byrne, art by John Byrne, Glynis Wein, and Jim Novak.
Galactus appears before the Shi’ar Magistrate in defense of Reed Richards in Fantastic Four Vol. 1 #262 “The Trial of Reed Richards” (1983), Marvel Comics. Words by John Byrne, art by John Byrne, Glynis Wein, and Jim Novak.

RELATED RUMOR: ‘Fantastic Four’ Film Will Feature A Female Herald Of Galactus

Then, just five minutes after MyTimeToShineHello published their scoop, Deadline’s Justin Kroll alleged that, “while a deal is far from done”, his sources had likewise informed him of Pascal’s courting for the part of Mr. Fantastic.

“Insiders add scheduling is still being worked out” he added, “but multiple sources close to the negotiations are saying its headed in the right direction for Pascal to do this and his other future projects.”

The Illuminati looks on as the The Maker escapes back to the 1610 in Ultimate Invasion Vol. 1 #1 "Chapter One: Good Artists Copy" (2023), Marvel Comics. Words by Jonathan Hickman, art by Bryan Hitch, Andrew Currie, Alex Sinclair, and Joe Caramagna.
The Illuminati looks on as the The Maker escapes back to the 1610 in Ultimate Invasion Vol. 1 #1 “Chapter One: Good Artists Copy” (2023), Marvel Comics. Words by Jonathan Hickman, art by Bryan Hitch, Andrew Currie, Alex Sinclair, and Joe Caramagna.

Notably, this casting rumor comes a little over a month after independent Disney reporter WDW Pro alleged that, according to one of his network’s “highest level sources“, not only was the film depicted Reed “so poorly” that “some actors even passed on playing the role.”

“They did not want to be involved with this ‘toxic masculinity’ style portrayal,” said the source. “Apparently the original director [MCU Spider-Man trilogy helmer Jon Watts] left, at least part way through, due to this same issue.”

Mr. Fantastic realizes the true threat that is Spider-Man in Civil War Vol. 1 #7 (2007), Marvel Comics. Words by Mark Millar, art by Steve McNiven, Dexter Vines, John Dell, Tim Townsend, Morry Hollowell, and Chris Eliopoulous.
Mr. Fantastic realizes the true threat that is Spider-Man in Civil War Vol. 1 #7 (2007), Marvel Comics. Words by Mark Millar, art by Steve McNiven, Dexter Vines, John Dell, Tim Townsend, Morry Hollowell, and Chris Eliopoulous.

However, in light of Marvel’s noted reshuffling of their future production plans in the wake of their flailing quality levels, it’s unknown whether or not this direction is still the one Marvel intends to take for Fantastic Four.

As of writing, Marvel has provided no official comment regarding Pascal’s potential attachment to Fantastic Four nor any potential casting for their cinematic First Family.

Reed Richards and Doctor Doom come to blows in Secret Wars Vol. 1 #9 "Beyond" (2016), Marvel Comics. Words by Jonathan Hickman, art by Esad Ribić, Ive Svorcina, and Clayton Cowles.
Reed Richards and Doctor Doom come to blows in Secret Wars Vol. 1 #9 “Beyond” (2016), Marvel Comics. Words by Jonathan Hickman, art by Esad Ribić, Ive Svorcina, and Clayton Cowles.

NEXT: Rumor: Marvel’s ‘Fantastic Four’ Film To Be “Sue Storm-Centric”, Reed Richards “So Poorly Depicted That Some Actors Even Passed On Playing The Role”

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