Marvel Studios has finally revealed the cast for their highly anticipated film, The Fantastic Four. Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn have been chosen to bring the beloved superheroes to life on the big screen.
The casting announcement comes after years of speculation and rumors surrounding who would take on the iconic roles. Pascal, who was previously reported to star as Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic, will lead the team of heroes. Kirby will portray Sue Storm/The Invisible Woman, while Quinn will play her brother, Johnny Storm/The Human Torch. Moss-Bachrach has been cast as Ben Grimm/The Thing.
Fans have been eagerly awaiting news about the Fantastic Four film, as previous attempts to bring the team to life have fallen short. A low-budget version produced by Roger Corman in 1994 was never released, and the 2005 and 2007 films from Fox and director Tim Story received mixed reviews. In 2015, Fox made another unsuccessful attempt to revive the franchise under director Josh Trank. However, with Disney’s acquisition of Fox, the Fantastic Four now has a chance to shine within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The Fantastic Four holds a special place in Marvel’s history, as they were introduced in 1961’s Fantastic Four No. 1 by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby. The team’s inclusion in the MCU has been long-awaited by fans who are eager to see them portrayed accurately and faithfully.
Marvel made the casting announcement on Valentine’s Day through an Instagram message to fans. Alongside the news, Disney also revealed a new release date for the film, which is now set for July 25, 2025. The movie will be directed by Matt Shakman, known for his work on WandaVision. The script has been penned by Jeff Kaplan and Ian Springer, with Josh Friedman, the writer of Avatar: The Way of Water, also contributing to the project.
The decision to push back the release date from May to July is not surprising, considering that the cast had only just been finalized. Marvel, however, is not giving up on the prime May weekend date, as Thunderbolts, an antihero-centric film, will now open in theaters on May 5. The other two Marvel films scheduled for 2025, Captain America: Brave New World and Blade, will maintain their original release dates.
The chosen actors for the Fantastic Four have all made names for themselves in the industry. Pedro Pascal is currently one of the most sought-after actors in Hollywood, with projects such as The Last of Us and a Star Wars movie in his busy schedule. Vanessa Kirby has recently appeared in Ridley Scott’s Napoleon and Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One, earning an Oscar nomination for her role in Pieces of a Woman. Ebon Moss-Bachrach is known for his work on the acclaimed Hulu series The Bear, for which he recently won an Emmy. Joseph Quinn is a rising star, recognized for his role in the hit Netflix series Stranger Things and with Gladiator 2 on the horizon.
With an exciting cast and a talented creative team behind it, The Fantastic Four is shaping up to be a highly anticipated addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Fans can finally look forward to seeing their favorite superheroes brought to life in a way that does justice to their iconic comic book origins. July 2025 can’t come soon enough!