The cast and crew of The Fantastic Four: First Steps had to achieve a family dynamic quickly, and thankfully, star Joseph Quinn had already made a strong first impression on director Matt Shakman. The actor appeared in Game of Thrones Season 7, Episode 4, “The Spoils of War,” which was directed by Shakman. Quinn played a Winterfell guardsman on watch when Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) finally made it back home. They reminisced about that first experience working together in a new interview with Empire Magazine, and how it set them up to get closer on First Steps. Although Quinn only had one line, Shakman said that he was “impressed.”
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Quinn played a guard named Koner in “The Spoils of War,” and when Arya arrived at the gate after being presumed dead for years, he told her to “f-ck off.” In the Empire cover story, Quinn recalled, “I did a kind of cough and a spit.” However, Shakman wasn’t content to let him downplay his talent.
“I was impressed by him, and thought, ‘Someday I’ll work with him again,’” the director said. “I was interested in a Johnny Storm who was more than just a ladies’ man and adrenaline junkie. I was looking for somebody who could be a dreamer. And I think Joe is an incredibly alive, spontaneous actor.”
[RELATED: 5 Joseph Quinn Roles That Prove He Is One to Watch]
While it’s true that Quinn had a relatively small role with just one line on Game of Thrones, it was an important moment that couldn’t trusted to just any actor or extra. Shakman seemed to understand that, and it was clearly enough to hold his interest on Quinn for years to come. Arya’s homecoming was a long-awaited climax, and it’s remembered fondly even by the show’s critics. Quinn managed to embody all the people of the North with his brusque dismissal followed by his horror at his own mistake.
By now, Quinn has enough bigger roles to his name that most fans probably don’t even remember he was on Game of Thrones. He is best known for playing Eddie Munson on Stranger Things, and last year he played one of the lead characters in A Quiet Place: Day One as well as Emperor Geta in Gladiator II. At 30 years old, he’s primed for a major role in the MCU like Johnny Storm, The Human Torch.
As Shakman alluded to, there’s more to Johnny Storm than we have seen on the big screen in the past two Fantastic Four movies, where he was played by Chris Evans. It’s true that Johnny is often depicted as cocky and headstrong in comics, there is much more nuance to his personality that has emerged over the years. It’s exciting to hear that both Quinn and Shakman intend to deepen his characterization in this movie. If nothing else, it’s a sign that he will have a deeper role to play in the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps hits theaters on July 25th in the U.S.
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