A Fan-Favorite Marvel Star Reveals He Wanted to Play Reed Richards (It Would Have Been Perfect)

David Tennant, an actor remembered for his portrayal of Kilgrave in Marvel’s Jessica Jones, stated at a recent MCM Comic Con that he had previously been interested in the role of Reed Richards from the Fantastic Four. While Tennant doesn’t reveal if actual talks happened about him playing the leader of the Fantastic Four in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the idea of the actor playing the part offers an interesting “what if” scenario. The part of Reed Richards in Marvel Studios’ upcoming film, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, has been filled by Pedro Pascal. Tennant also commented on this casting, indicating his approval of Pascal for the role, and is excited to see the MCU debut of Mr. Fantastic.

“In terms of superheroes, I did slightly have my eye on Reed Richards,” Tennant said when asked which MCU hero he would like to play. “Unfortunately, it looks like they’ve gone in a different direction. Although if it has to be someone, I’m very happy for it to be Pedro Pascal, frankly.”

[RELATED: The Fantastic Four: First Steps Reveals Best Look Yet at MCU Galactus]

Tennant is globally recognized for his energetic and beloved portrayal of the Tenth Doctor in the iconic BBC science fiction series Doctor Who, a role he held from 2005 to 2010 and reprised for special episodes. Beyond Doctor Who, Tennant garnered critical acclaim and numerous awards, including a BAFTA Scotland Award and an International Emmy, for his chilling performance as serial killer Dennis Nilsen in the miniseries Des. He also starred as DI Alec Hardy in the hit crime drama Broadchurch, a role which also earned him a BAFTA Scotland Award and several TV Choice Awards for Best Actor. Other notable roles that have cemented his status as a versatile actor include his performance as the demon Crowley in the popular Amazon Prime series Good Omens, based on the novel by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, and as Barty Crouch Jr. in the film Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

In the MCU, Tennant became one of the franchise’s most compelling and terrifying villains in Season 1 of Jessica Jones through his portrayal of Kilgrave. Also known as the Purple Man from the Marvel comics, Kilgrave could control anyone’s mind with a simple vocal command. Tennant’s performance was lauded for its chilling blend of charm and sadism, creating a deeply unsettling antagonist whose psychological torment of Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter) and others formed the dark core of the season. While Killgrave has been long dead in the MCU, the series is being reincorporated into canon as Ritter is confirmed to reprise her role as Jessica Jones in the upcoming Season 2 of Daredevil: Born Again.

Pedro Pascal Will Lead Marvel’s First Family in The Fantastic Four: First Steps

While Tennant didn’t score the role of Mr. Fantastic, Marvel Studios is preparing to launch the First Family with The Fantastic Four: First Steps. In addition to Pasca, the movie also stars Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/The Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/The Human Torch, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing. The film is being directed by Matt Shakman, who previously directed Marvel Studios’ series WandaVision. The film will adopt a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic setting in an alternate universe, with key antagonists including the cosmic entity Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and Shalla-Bal (Julia Garner), a version of the Silver Surfer.

Official tie-in merchandise for The Fantastic Four: First Steps has also offered an early glimpse of Franklin Richards, the son of Reed and Sue. In Marvel Comics, Franklin Richards’ powers include telepathy, telekinesis, and reality manipulation, which leads him to play a key role in 2015’s Secret Wars storyline. Since Marvel Studios is building the path to its own Avengers: Secret Wars movie, the introduction of Franklin might tease how the MCU will handle the reality-shattering event on the big screen. Following their introduction in First Steps, the four main actors portraying the Fantastic Four are confirmed to appear in the upcoming film Avengers: Doomsday, a reunion already teased by Thunderbolts*. So, it’s fair to assume Franklin will somehow be involved in the upcoming MCU crossovers.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is scheduled to arrive in theaters on July 25th.

What are your thoughts on David Tennant’s past interest in playing Reed Richards? Let us know in the comments.