Meet Marvel’s first family: The Fantastic Four. Marvel Studios has officially confirmed the Fantastic Four cast in the 1960s-set retro reboot that will bring the superhero quartet — Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, Susan Storm Richards/Invisible Woman, Johnny Storm/Human Torch, and Ben Grimm/the Thing — into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (along with their beloved robot sidekick, H.E.R.B.I.E.).
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“Fantastic Four is the foundation for everything that came after in the comics. 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,” producer Kevin Feige told EW, adding that Marvel Studios is planning to establish the Fantastic Four as “a big pillar of the MCU going forward, just the way they’ve been in the comics for 50 or 60 years.”
Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1961 in what would become known as “the world’s greatest comic magazine,” Fantastic Four ushered in the modern age of Marvel Comics — and birthed the Marvel Universe. But who is playing the Fantastic Four in the already-established MCU? Here’s everything we know so far about Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four.
Who Is Directing The Fantastic Four?
Marvel’s Spider-Man trilogy director Jon Watts signed onto the project when it was announced in December 2020, but chose to step away in 2022. Three-time Emmy nominee Matt Shakman (Marvel’s WandaVision, Game of Thrones, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) is directing The Fantastic Four, from a script by Josh Friedman (Terminator: Dark Fate, Avatar: The Way of Water) and Jeff Kaplan (Disaster Wedding) & Ian Springer (Bert and Arnie’s Guide to Friendship).
Marvel’s The Fantastic Four Release Date
Previously slated to open May 2, 2025, as part of Phase 5 of the MCU and the Multiverse Saga, The Fantastic Four now opens July 25, 2025, after swapping dates with Thunderbolts.
The Fantastic Four Cast
It’s official, true believers: Marvel Studios has cast the Fantastic 4.
Pedro Pascal: Reed Richards
Pascal plays Reed Richards, a genius inventor and family man who has the ability to stretch his malleable body almost as far as his intellect. The role is no stretch for the paternal star of The Mandalorian and The Last of Us, who won out over reported contenders like Adam Driver (Star Wars), Matt Smith (House of the Dragon), Penn Badgley (You), and John Krasinski (the variant Reed Richards of Earth-838 in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness).
Vanessa Kirby: Sue Storm
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning and Napoleon star Vanessa Kirby will play Susan Richards (née Storm), the maternal member of the FF whose powers include the ability to manipulate ambient cosmic energy torender herself and objects invisible, construct invisible force fields,and project invisible energy and psionic forces.
A rumored shortlist included Rachel Brosnahan (who has since been cast as Lois Lane in James Gunn’s Superman: Legacy), Lily James (Pam & Tommy), Amanda Seyfried (The Dropout), Phillipa Soo (Hamilton), Saoirse Ronan (See How They Run), and Jodie Comer (Free Guy).
Joseph Quinn: Johnny Storm
The fan-favorite Stranger Things breakout’s career continues to heat up: Quinn plays Johnny Storm, the hot-headed hero who “flames on” as the fiery Human Torch. When he’s aflame, Johnny becomes a being of super-heated plasma; he also has the ability to manipulate flame and control ambient heat energy.
Jack Quaid (The Boys) shot down rumors he’d been cast as the Human Torch, joining a list of rumored candidates that included Oscar-nominated actor Paul Mescal (Aftersun), Oscar nominee Austin Butler (Elvis), Zac Efron (The Iron Claw), Rudy Pankow (Outer Banks), and Quinn’s fellow Stranger Things alums Joe Keery and Dacre Montgomery.
Ebon Moss-Bachrach: Ben Grimm
It’s clobberin’ time. Ebon Moss-Bachrach — best known for roles on Marvel’s The Punisher, Girls, and as Richie Jerimovich, a gruff chef whose tough exterior guards his good heart on FX’s The Bear — plays Ben Grimm, a pilot who is transformed into the rocky Thing. As the ever-lovin’, blue-eyed Thing, Ben Grimm clobbers bad guys with his superhuman strength, durability, and endurance — and though this man-monster may be as self-loathing as he is strong, he’s the heart of the Fantastic Four.
Other actors who were rumored to be in the running for the role include Daveed Diggs (Hamilton), Jason Segel (Shrinking), Alan Ritchson (Reacher), and John Cena (Peacemaker).
Who Is the Villain of Fantastic Four?
Plot details remain under wraps, leaving fans to speculate whether iconic Fantastic Four adversaries like Doctor Doom, Mole Man, Terrax, or Annihilus will be the villain of Fantastic Four. Internet rumors claim that Antonio Banderas (Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny) will play Galan, better known as the planet-eating cosmic character with an insatiable hunger: Galactus, and Anya Taylor-Joy (The Super Mario Bros. Movie) will play his cosmic-powered herald.
Marvel’s Fantastic Four reboot is scheduled to open in theaters July 25, 2025.
