In 1961, writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby created the Marvel Universe as we know it with Fantastic Four. As envisioned by Lee and Kirby, the group included Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic, Susan Storm/Invisible Girl (Sue later renamed herself Invisible Woman), Johnny Storm/Human Torch, and Ben Grimm/The Thing. The team was transformed and given superhuman abilities due to exposure to cosmic rays on an unauthorized space flight. But in the face of adversity, the FF decided to band together to protect the Earth. And they soon found themselves as the harbinger of a new age of heroes that included Spider-Man, Hulk, the Avengers, and the X-Men.
While Roger Corman did make a Fantastic Four movie in the ’90s, it was never officially released. Instead, 20th Century Fox brought Fantastic Four to the big screen in 2005, and followed that up with a sequel, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, in 2007. A Fantastic Four reboot was also released in 2015. But in 2019, Disney officially acquired the entertainment assets of 20th Century Fox, which included the rights to make another Fantastic Four movie.
Once the deal with Fox closed, Marvel Studios confirmed plans to reboot the Fantastic Four within the MCU. And it’s currently one of the most-anticipated projects on Marvel’s docket. Fans have a lot of questions about this movie and there is intense interest to learn which actors will be cast as Marvel’s first family of superheroes. To keep you up to speed, this is everything we know about the MCU Fantastic Four movie so far.
When will Fantastic Four be released?
Marvel Studios has set February 14, 2025, as the release date for Fantastic Four. However, the current writer’s strike may potentially affect those plans. It will be the second film in Marvel’s Phase 6, which will bring The Multiverse Saga to an end.
Who will write and direct Fantastic Four?
Matt Shakman signed on to direct Fantastic Four after the MCU’s Spider-Man helmer, Jon Watts, dropped out of the project. Shakman’s only previous feature film credit is a little-known 2014 thriller called Cut Bank. That said, Shakman has extensive experience as a director for television, including Marvel’s WandaVision, Game of Thrones, Mad Men, The Boys, and many others.
Josh Friedman is handling the current draft of the script. Friedman created Apple TV+’s Foundation series and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. James Cameron also recruited Friedman to work on the Avatar sequels with him, including The Way of Water.
Is John Krasinski in Fantastic Four?
The Office and A Quiet Place star John Krasinski was a popular fan-cast for Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic. Marvel made that dream come true when Krasinski had a small appearance as Mr. Fantastic in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. But in true Marvel fashion, Krasinski’s Reed was from an alternate Earth, and he was brutally murdered minutes after his introduction.
But unfortunately, Krasinski has indicated that his appearance was only a one-off. In December 2022, Krasinski told The Wrap “There aren’t any discussions at all, the only discussion I had was actually in the second-to-last week of Jack Ryan. Kevin Feige called and said would you ever fly to L.A. and play in our sandbox for a day? I was honored to do it. I flew right from Budapest when we wrapped and went right to the Doctor Strange set. I’m a big fan of all those characters and that world, so to get to play in that sandbox for one day was a real thrill.”
Who is portraying Reed Richards in the Fantastic Four reboot?
Right now, the popular rumor is that Marvel wants Adam Driver to play Reed Richards. Note that this is far from confirmed, and none of the Hollywood trades have touched this report. But if it does come to pass, we’ve already explained why Driver would be a fantastic choice.
Who is rumored to play Sue Storm/Invisible Woman?
A better question would be who isn’t rumored to play Sue Storm? Almost every Hollywood blonde has been rumored to be under consideration, and several non-blondes as well. Two of the most frequent names that come up are Vanessa Kirby and Jodie Comer. But more recently, DC’s Harley Quinn actress, Margot Robbie, has been linked to the potential role as well.
Who will play the Human Torch in the MCU?
Despite the fact that his powers involve lighting his body on fire, there aren’t a lot of burning rumors about the actor playing Johnny Storm compared to Reed and Sue. For now, the two most-often mentioned names are Paul Mescal and Austin Butler.
Which actors are rumored to portray The Thing?
Believe it or not, but the largest rumor to date about who would play the Thing was Mila Kunis. And it was so prevalent that Kunis herself shot down the rumor while appearing on The Late Late Show With James Corden. Apparently, this rumor was started because Kunis was seen sharing a lunch meeting with Fantastic Four director Matt Shakman.
“Apparently, if you go to lunch with somebody that is also in the industry, you then start working together according to the internet,” said Kunis via The Playlist. “We went out to a deli and had lunch together, and the next day, I’m somehow in Fantastic Four. I am not in Fantastic Four, but I know who is.”
Who will be the villain of the MCU’s Fantastic Four?
This is currently unknown. But given the history of the Fantastic Four, the safest bets are Doctor Doom or Galactus. The FF also have a history with one of Kang’s variants, Rama-Tut, so that’s another possibility. Lesser-known Fantastic Four villains include the Mole Man, Annihilus, and Puppet Master. That’s why Doom and Galactus would probably be the best choices available.
How does Fantastic Four fit into the MCU?
According to Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, there are already big plans to explore the FF and their mythology in the MCU.
“Fantastic Four is the foundation for everything that came after in the comics,” said Feige while speaking with EW. “There’s certainly been versions of it [on screen], but never inhabiting the storytelling of the MCU. And that’s something that is really exciting for us.”
One of the reasons why the Disney and Fox deal was such a big deal for Marvel is that many of the Fantastic Four’s ancillary characters like Silver Surfer, and most of Marvel’s major alien races were tied to the FF rights. With the Fantastic Four in the MCU, all of those characters are potentially in play to further expand Marvel’s adventures in space.
Will the Fantastic Four be in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty?
Officially, Marvel has yet to confirm that the Fantastic Four will be in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. Unofficially, you can probably count on it. Fantastic Four and The Kang Dynasty are both part of Marvel’s Phase 6, which will conclude with Avengers: Secret Wars. The easiest way to start integrating the FF into the MCU ahead of that event would be to put them in an Avengers movie as soon as possible.
Will there be a sequel to Fantastic Four?
Barring the onset of full-blown superhero fatigue at the box office or Fantastic Four flopping in theaters, then there will almost certainly be a sequel. However, fans should remember that the 2015 Fantastic Four reboot was a massive flop with only $167.9 million worldwide. Audiences largely rejected it, and there was no sequel. The current Fantastic Four creative team should consider that a cautionary tale.
