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

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

‘Nuff Said. 

Total DUB

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

The Nerd We Need

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

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…

It’s all gotten so predictable to the point of being parody… 🤦‍♀️ 🤦 🤦‍♂️

Rebel Leader (Richards)?

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

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

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!

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