The veil of mystery surrounding the casting of Marvel’s First Family in the Multiverse Saga has finally been lifted, much to the delight of fans who have been eagerly anticipating news since Kevin Feige’s announcement of a Fantastic Four reboot in the summer of 2019. Enter Pedro Pascal, acclaimed for his roles in “The Mandalorian” and “The Last of Us,” who has been officially confirmed by Marvel as the new Mr. Fantastic!
While reports of Pascal’s casting surfaced as early as November, Marvel’s official confirmation didn’t come until February, leaving fans in a prolonged state of anticipation. Pascal’s selection initially surprised some, given his undeniable talent and status as one of Hollywood’s most sought-after actors, but concerns arose regarding his age suitability for the character. Yet, how old is Reed Richards supposed to be, anyway?
To gauge Pascal’s fit for the role, let’s examine the ages of previous actors who portrayed Mr. Fantastic. The character, a staple of Marvel comics, has been portrayed by four actors in movies, with one iteration remaining unreleased. Alex Hyde-White, in the 1994 film “The Fantastic Four,” took on the role at 35. Ioan Gruffudd, in 2005’s “Fantastic Four,” was 30, reflecting a depiction of Reed as an accomplished scientist and budding superhero. Conversely, Miles Teller, at 28, portrayed a youthful Reed in 2015’s “Fant4stic.”
John Krasinski, in a cameo appearance in 2022’s “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” portrayed an older, seasoned Reed at the age of 42. This brings the average age of Mr. Fantastic on screen to nearly 34 years old. Comparatively, Pedro Pascal, at 48, surpasses Krasinski as the oldest actor to embody Reed, exceeding the average age by 14 years. However, this deviation from the norm may not pose a problem if Marvel aims for comic accuracy.
In Marvel Comics, characters age at a much slower pace than in reality. Reed Richards, originally depicted in his mid-to-late 30s, now approaches 50 in the present timeline, akin to the timeless portrayal of Spider-Man as a perpetually youthful character. Therefore, Pascal’s casting aligns with the character’s current age in the source material.
In essence, Pedro Pascal is an ideal choice for Mr. Fantastic, perfectly aligning with the character’s evolution in the comics and offering a promising interpretation for the MCU’s portrayal of Marvel’s iconic superhero.
