William Jackson Harper's Marvel Casting Has Fans Speculating He Could Be Playing Fantastic Four's Reed Richards

By Kofi Outlaw - October 28, 2022 10:22 am EDT

William Jackson Harper (The Good Place, Midsommar) is the latest actor to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe: it's been reported that Harper has been cast in an "undisclosed role" in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Naturally Marvel fans are running wild with speculation about who Harper is playing, and one main consensus is that Marvel could be pulling the surprise twist of introducing Harper as Reed Richards, the leader and patriarch of The Fantastic Four!

Actor John Krasinski played Reed Richards in this summer's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, but it was made clear (onscreen and off) that Krasinski's Mister Fantastic was just one variant of the character in the current Marvel Multiverse Saga. It's long been indicated by Marvel heads and inside sources that a different actor will play Reed Richards in the upcoming Fantastic Four reboot film Marvel is about to go into production on – so is it William Jackson Harper?

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania's trailer release this week clearly confirms the film is in the can and done with post-production; late-stage casting like this almost always indicates a post-credits or mid-credits scene being added to the film. In the minds of many Marvel fans, Reed Richards is the person who is going to show up in reaction to the events of Quantumania – with young Cassie Lang's Quantum Realm beacon possibly being the event that gets the Fantastic Four (back?) to the reality of the MCU.

Check out the reactions – good, bad, and ugly – that fans are having to the notion of William Jackson Harper playing Reed Richards:

Would Be Great

Oh if he was Reed Richards, that would be great. https://t.co/GtgLRnwO0k
— Nathaniel LG 'Doot Doot' Hanley (@DrBodyguard) October 28, 2022

'Nuff Said.

Total DUB

if playing reed richards this is an insane dub https://t.co/3S4p8040uZ
— Jake 🇮🇹 (@jakehomoky) October 28, 2022

I believe that "dub" stands for a "W" or "a win." If so, we totally ag.

The Nerd We Need

he looks like a big ol nerd be better be reed richards https://t.co/trTXpHLOvr
— giovanni (@mrbarone2000) October 28, 2022

William Jackson Harper's acerbic geeky screen persona is exactly why a lot of fans think he is the best actor to bring Reed Richards to life in the MCU.

Chidi Was The Audition

Chidi had reed richards energy......LET WILLIAM PLAY REED RICHARDS https://t.co/yGIW2kbIZf
— n 💫 ceo of han "leias concubine" solo (@skyswalkerleia) October 28, 2022

Harper's character Chidi in The Good Place was a geeky scientist who gradually had to come out of his shell and learn to better love and value relationships, while lost in a strange otherworldly realm. So, N O A U D I T I O N N E E D E D for Fantastic Four.

Race Swapping Debate in 3, 2, 1...

He could maybe be a “variant” of Reed Richards in the Quantum Realm. He will NOT be the prime MCU Reed though. I know the “woke” crowd insists on changing whole characters, but characters have histories. Reed is a white guy, period. It isn’t racist to say so. He just is. pic.twitter.com/0ILj5G5dIJ
— Erik4thepeople (@Erik4thepeople) October 28, 2022

White nerds if Marvel made Reed Richards Black... pic.twitter.com/dDsdKszVpH
— Blue Marvel aka MF DAD (@blue_marvelous) October 28, 2022

It's all gotten so predictable to the point of being parody... 🤦‍♀️ 🤦 🤦‍♂️

Rebel Leader (Richards)?

Y'all for the last time, William Jackson Harper is not playing REED RICHARDS in Ant-Man 3! He's playing a Rebel Leader in the Quantum Relam that has Psychic Powers.
— 🤴🏿Blerd Baron🤴🏿 (@AfroNerdElitist) October 28, 2022

the fantastic four cast wasn’t (possibly still isn’t) locked in cause they wanted director input and shakman just got the fantastic four job a couple months ago

it would however make sense that fantastic four have been stuck in the QR for a long time and would know how to fight
— KANG STAN ACCOUNT (@lord_anarchy) October 28, 2022

The biggest deterrent to the idea that William Jackson Harper is playing Reed Richard are the rumor "leaks" that he's actually a rebel leader of the Quantum Realm – possibly tied to Kang. Given comic book history, some suspect this rebel leader could be Reed Richards, whose family ties to Kang in the comics are a big part of the villain's story. So could be both?

That Ant-Man 3 - Fantastic 4 Connection

Reed Richards, innit. Cameo setting up F4; probs after credits which is why were getting this now.
— Drunk Boxing Fan (@Golemofthewool) October 28, 2022

As stated in the intro: Cassie Lang (Kathryn Newton) setting off a beacon from Earth down to the Quantum Realm may have much bigger consequences than were ever intended – both good and bad.

The Kang of It All

If kang is black it’s only right that reed richards is black. So shut your front you racists here in the comments.
— Spook magook (@spook_magook) October 28, 2022

Kang is the descendant of reed richards. He’s name is literally Nathaniel richards
— Spook magook (@spook_magook) October 28, 2022

In Marvel Comics lore, Kang's mysterious origin starts with the hint that he is Reed Richards' distant descendant, Nathaniel Richards. So if Kang is played by a black actor in the MCU (Jonathan Majors), than Reed Richards arguably should have a black variant in some universe – you know, if we are REALLY staying comics accurate....

JUST GIVE US WJH!

Reed Richards would be GREAT but WJH could be good in literally ANYTHING https://t.co/sYkXqpVOmB
— Aceblade (@TheAceblade) October 28, 2022

We'll watch the man in ANYTHING Marvel. Or DC. Or TV. Or Movies. Anime. Gaming character. Whatever...

Fantastic Four: A Good Place Reunion

If he's reed richards i'm gonna cream my fucking pants. Give me Manny Jacinto as Johnny. Fuck it give me Kristen Bell as Sue https://t.co/Mxx2R8W6NB
— squilliam afton (@c0ffinfl0p) October 28, 2022

If William Jackson Harper is Reed Richards, let's just bring back as many Good Place stars as we can for this! Right?