Despite announcing the Fantastic Four reboot back in 2020, Marvel Studios has been keeping fans in the dark with regard to details about the anticipated project. Last July at the San Diego Comic-Con, Kevin Feige confirmed that the First Family will make their way to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2024 as one of the projects that will close out Phase Six.
Unfortunately, Feige and company didn't reveal the film's official cast although rumors have been swirling all over the internet for quite some time now. In Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, fans finally got their collective wishes after John Krasinski played a variant of Reed Richards, something MCU diehards have been clamoring for years now.
However, it looks like Krasinski won't be sticking around as Earth-616's Smartest Man Alive and according to a new report, the studio is already in talks with the actor who will play Mister Fantastic in the MCU. Appearing on the Marvelvision Podcast, former Birth. Movies. Death. Editor-in-Chief Devin Faraci revealed that You star Penn Badgley is in serious negotiations for the role.
This pretty much debunks early reports claiming that the Fantastic Four will consist of actors who are people of color. According to Faraci, Marvel is keen on keeping their adaptation of the F4 traditional instead of going the diversity route. He said: "The guys that [Marvel Studios] been talking to about it are all white guys. That guy [Penn Badgley] from the show You, who probably has the role already, frankly, he's a white guy. They're going with the standard... And he's terrific, by the way, that's a good choice. But, they're going very classical."
Also Read: MCU Fans Generally Pleased with Penn Badgley's Rumored Fantastic Four Casting
Penn's You co-star Elizabeth Lail is also rumored to be playing Sue Storm in the film and I think it's a tremendous idea to cast both actors as Mister Fantastic and Invisible Woman respectively since the chemistry is already there. As it stands, we could be getting the official announcement at the D23 Expo next month.
Marvel Studios' Fantastic Four will hit cinemas on November 8, 2024.