Marvel’s Fantastic Four film reportedly lands Pedro Pascal as Avengers 5 loses its director
A fantastic hire (if true) and an almighty loss
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Marvelhas reportedly found one of the leads for itsFantastic Fourmovie in the form of A-lister Pedro Pascal.
According toDeadline, Pascal has held talks with the Disney subsidiary about playing stretchy superhero Mister Fantastic/Reed Richards in the forthcoming movie. However,SlashFilmand industry insiderDanielRPKclaim Pascal has already signed on to the project, meaning it might only be a matter of time before an official announcement is made.
If the reports are true, it’ll be a massive coup for Marvel. Pascal is one of the most in-demand actors in Hollywood, with the talented entertainer starring in many popular movies and shows in recent years. Following his break-out role inGame of Thrones, Pascal has gone on to play prominent roles as Din Djarin inThe Mandalorianand Joel in HBO’s TV adaptation ofThe Last of Us, as well as displaying his comedic chops alongside Nic Cage inThe Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent.
According to Deadline reporter Justin Kroll, Pascal would be able to juggle his role in Marvel’sFantastic Fourflick alongside his upcoming work onGladiator 2, one of 2024’s eagerly anticipated new movies, andThe Last of Usseason 2. It’s unclear what impact his potential Marvel role will have on his ability to carry on playing Djarin in theStar Warsuniverse.
Sources say not only should Pascal be able to shoot GLADIATOR 2 and season 2 of LAST OF US but it is also likely that he will be able to shoot Zach Cregger’s WEAPONS at some point as well. https://t.co/VIuaBX2WuFNovember 15, 2023
Despite the various issues surrounding the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) of late,Fantastic Fouris one of the most anticipated projects on the studio’s slate. TheMarvel Phase 6movie’s announcement in July 2019 sparked intense excitement among the MCU’s fanbase and, in the years that have followed, the casting rumor mill has gone into overdrive, with multiple big-name stars linked with the supergroup’s various members.
Indeed,Mission Impossible 7starVanessa Kirby exclusively told TechRadarit “would be an honor” to play Sue Storm/Invisible Woman in the film after consistently being linked with the role. OtherFantastic Fourcast rumors have sent MCU fans into a tailspinrecently, too, with Adam Driver, Antonio Banderas, Javier Bardem, Joseph Quinn, Jodie Comer, Margot Robbie, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach all teased as potential candidates.
For what it’s worth,Fantastic Fourdirector Matt Shakman wants you to ignore that wild cast speculationand just wait for an official reveal. Now the actors strike is over, here’s hoping we get one soon.
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Avengers, disassemble!
Pascal’s possible casting inFantastic Fourwould be great for Marvel, but it’s not all good news for the studio.
According to a separateDeadlinereport, Daniel Destin Cretton, who directed 2021’sShang-Chi, is no longer set to helmAvengers: The Kang Dynasty. Per the article, Cretton’s departure is an “amicable” one and the filmmaker will continue to work on other Marvel projects, including aShang-Chisequel and upcomingDisney PlusshowWonder Man, which many insiders believed had quietly been axed, but will now sit under the newly formed Marvel Spotlights banner alongsideMarvel’sEchoTV series.
Cretton was hired to directAvengers: The Kang Dynastyin July 2022, but the moviemaking landscape has changed a lot since his appointment. In the past 12 months, Marvel has come under fire for its allegedly"systemic" overworking of visual effects artists, contended with the now-resolved actors and writers strike, and watched on as many of its movies and TV shows struggled to capture fans' imagination.
Those issues have resulted inmultiple MCU movie delays, meaning Marvel’s global fanbase willonly be able to see one MCU film, Deadpool 3, in theaters next year. The studio’s TV line-up has also been impacted, althoughWhat If…?season 2 is set to debut in time for ChristmasbeforeEchoarrives in January 2024.
It’s unclear why Cretton has seemingly walked away from the nextAvengersfilm, but it might just be due to scheduling conflicts. We’ve reached out to Disney for comment on these Pascal and Cretton rumors, and we’ll update this article if we hear back.
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As TechRadar’s senior entertainment reporter, Tom covers all of the latest movies, TV shows, and streaming service news that you need to know about. You’ll regularly find him writing about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and many other topics of interest.
An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Tom also writes reviews, analytical articles, opinion pieces, and interview-led features on the biggest franchises, actors, directors and other industry leaders. You may see his quotes pop up in the odd official Marvel Studios video, too, such as thisMoon Knight TV spot.
Away from work, Tom can be found checking out the latest video games, immersing himself in his favorite sporting pastime of football, reading the many unread books on his shelf, staying fit at the gym, and petting every dog he comes across.
Got a scoop, interesting story, or an intriguing angle on the latest news in entertainment? Feel free to drop him a line.
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