Fantastic Four rumors have been flying fast and furiously the past few days, which prompted me to shake the tree and see what’s what. Now that the dust has settled following this week’s Hot Mic podcast, Above the Line can now safely report that Vanessa Kirby (Mission: Impossible – Fallout) and Joseph Quinn (Stranger Things) are being eyed to play Sue and Johnny Storm in Marvel’s Fantastic Four movie, according to sources.
This is ATL‘s very first report on Fantastic Four casting, unlike many of the comic book movie blogs dedicated to chronicling each and every dubious rumor that appears online. That said, I must offer my humble apologies to The Boys star Jack Quaid, who I incorrectly linked to this project at the start of this week’s Hot Mic podcast, though by its halfway point, I’d already corrected myself, having received word that I’d confused him with another young actor with the initials “JQ” — Joseph Quinn, who is best known for playing Eddie Munson in Season 4 of Stranger Things.
Matt Shakman is directing the superhero movie and producer Kevin Feige is currently awaiting a new draft of the script from screenwriter Josh Friedman, though, with the ongoing WGA strike, it could be weeks or even months before that is delivered to the studio.
Matt Smith (Doctor Who) was in discussions to play Reed Richards at one point, but sources don’t expect that deal to work out, and Marvel is now said to have set their sights on a bona fide movie star to play Mr. Fantastic. The studio may even reapproach Adam Driver once that new script is turned in, as sources say he was the top choice for the role several months ago, but he passed after struggling to connect with an early draft of the script. Mr. Fantastic is typically depicted as the leader of Marvel’s first family, though Shakman’s movie is said to center around Sue Storm.
Meanwhile, The Bear star Ebon Moss-Bachrach has also been eyed for a role in Fantastic Four, though it’s not believed to be Ben Grimm, aka the Thing. That role is believed to have been cast, and though I’ve been unable to ascertain a name, I’m told it’s not going to be Paul Walter Hauser, who is currently up for an Emmy for his supporting turn in Black Bird.
Given that F4‘s main villain, Galactus, is expected to be played by a Latino actor, it’s possible that Moss-Bachrach is being eyed to play the Silver Surfer or possibly Doctor Doom, though the latter character is only expected to appear at the very end of the movie, and Marvel is said to be seeking a major star for that part.
Marvel declined to comment regarding Fantastic Four rumors, and it’s worth noting that as Hollywood’s double strike continues, any scheduling delays could wreak havoc on casting.
Kirby is a veteran of both the Mission: Impossible and Fast & Furious franchises who rose to fame on The Crown and earned an Oscar nomination for her devastating turn in the Netflix drama Pieces of a Woman. She will soon be seen opposite Joaquin Phoenix in Ridley Scott‘s Napoleon movie, which hits theaters this fall before its release on Apple TV+.
Stay tuned for more news on Fantastic Four, which is slated to begin filming early next year in advance of a May 2025 release.
