Marvel Studios is rumored to have met with John Krasinski for a “multitude of projects,” according to a new report. The Office and Jack Ryan star is a fan-favorite pick to play Reed Richards, a.k.a. Mister Fantastic, in the Fantastic Four reboot now allowed to move forward at Disney-owned Marvel Studios following Disney’s acquisition of formerly 20th Century Fox-controlled assets, including the X-Men, in 2019. The filmmaker behind A Quiet Place and A Quiet Place II previously expressed an interest in directing a Marvel Studios movie for producer and president Kevin Feige and remains open to playing a superhero after auditioning for the role of Captain America.
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According to Geeks Worldwide, Krasinski is among talent who virtually met with Marvel Studios in recent weeks. It’s unclear what role Krasinski might play in the “multitude” of projects discussed, whether that be actor or filmmaker.
“I would love to do it,” Krasinski said in March when ComicBook.com asked about the Reed Richards role. “I think to be a part of the Marvel world would be amazing anyway, and the fact that people would even consider me for that level of a part would be amazing. I genuinely have had no conversations or don’t know anything that’s happening with that. I’m awaiting Kevin’s announcements of what the hell’s happening with that as much as you are.”
Marvel has not yet formally announced plans to bring the Fantastic Four and the X-Men properties into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which next releases Black Widow in November. When ComicBook.com asked Feige about the future franchises at San Diego Comic-Con, where Feige name-dropped the two brands, he said Marvel Studios is “working towards” projects starring the characters.
In April 2019, after Marvel gained the rights to the Fantastic Four and X-Men properties, Feige said it would “be a while” before the X-Men appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The focus will remain on projects that were in development before Disney completed its $71.3 billion acquisition of Fox.
“It’s all just beginning and the five-year plan that we’ve been working on, we were working on before any of that was set,” Feige said of the acquisition when promoting Avengers: Endgame. “So really it’s much more, for us, less about specifics of when and where [the X-Men will appear] right now and more just the comfort factor and how nice it is that they’re home. That they’re all back. But it will be a very long time.”
Disney has multiple release dates staked out for untitled Marvel movies through 2023.
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