Marvel Got Fantastic Four Casting Exactly Right, Here’s Why
Marvel has finally announced the long-awaited casting for the MCU’s upcoming Fantastic Four. The casting of Marvel’s first family is sure to cause arguments across social media and comic shops around the world. For my money, Marvel has once again nailed it in the casting department with Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, Joseph Quinn as Johny Storm, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm.
Pascal Has The Range For Reed
Pedro Pascal is probably the highest profile talent of the four, being cast as Mr. Fantastic, the super-scientist patriarch of the Fantastic Four. Pascal has taken the nerd world by storm ever since his portrayal of Oberyn Martel in Game of Thrones, starring in Wonder Woman 1984, The Mandalorian, and The Last of Us. While Pascal is known for his ability to be charming and witty his time on The Mandalorian shows he can play a more toned-down character as well, making him a great fit for Reed.
Vanessa Kirby’s Past Roles Feel Like A Lead-Up To Sue Richards
The female lead for Fantastic Four will be Vanessa Kirby as The Invisible Woman. Kirby is a strangely perfect choice to play Sue, having starred in action movies like Mission: Impossible — Fallout, romance movies like The World To Come, and films where she’s married to self-involved men like Napolean. Each movie in her filmography feels like the perfect training to play Sue.
Stranger Things Proved Joseph Quinn’s Worth
Joseph Quinn is the least established actor joining The Fantastic Four, but there’s reason to be excited about his take on The Human Torch. Most people will only know Quinn for his role as Eddie Munson on Stranger Things but that should be enough to excite fans. Quinn stole every scene he was in on Stranger Things, bringing the exact mix of hot-headed bravado masking deep insecurities that an actor needs to play Johny.
Ebon Moss-Bachrach Is An Inspired Choice As Ben Grimm
Rounding out the new Fantastic Four is Ebon Moss-Bachrach as the ever-loving blue-eyed Thing. While all of the casting choices are great, choosing Ebon to play the gruff but loveable Thing is by far the best casting decision, fresh off of his Emmy win for playing a gruff but loveable role on The Bear. Comic fans are also excited to see a Jewish actor take on the role, given the importance of The Thing’s heritage in the comics.
Marvel’s Buoy?
Nailing the execution of The Fantastic Four is incredibly important for the MCU, which has found itself on shaky ground after over a decade of dominating Hollywood, and this perfect casting is a great start. Following the end of the Infinity Saga, the MCU has been wracked by problems of so-called “Marvel fatigue,” a major actor being convicted for assault, and diminishing box-office returns. If Marvel is going to survive they need to earn the audience back, and they have an opportunity to do by bringing The Fantastic Four and X-Men into their universe.
Marvel’s First Family
It’s fitting that so much importance is being placed on The Fantastic Four, given their importance to Marvel comics history and the history of comics in general. Jack Kirby and Stan Lee’s Fantastic Four #1 in 1961 kicked the silver age into gear, combining the romance, monster, and superhero genres reigniting Marvel’s superhero comics in particular and helping superhero comics become popular again in general. The Fantastic Four could revitalize and reinvent the MCU, bringing it into its own silver age and they’ve assembled an incredible cast to do just that.
