Rumors that You star Penn Badgley had emerged as front-runner to play Reed Richards in Marvel’s Fantastic Four have been debunked by the reporter who originally shared the scoop.
During an appearance on the Marvelvision podcast, Devin Faraci claimed that Penn Badgley “probably has the role [of Mister Fantastic] already,” sparking reports that the actor had shot to the top of Marvel’s Fantastic Four casting shortlist.
However, the reporter has now clarified his comments, confirming he was speaking speculatively and not making comments based on any insider information.
Marvel’s Fantastic Four Cast Remains A Mystery
Taking to Twitter to clear up the confusion around his comments on Penn Badgley becoming the MCU’s Reed Richards, Devin Faraci made clear this was not based on any official information from Marvel.
Faraci backtracked on his earlier comments in a tweet, saying “my source on this is Reddit and gut instinct, nothing more.” It appears Faraci was just repeating rumors he had already come across that suggested Penn Badgley was up for the role of the Fantastic Four’s leader.
Reed Richards previously appeared in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which saw The Office star – and fan-favorite choice for the role – John Krasinski play an alternate universe’s Mister Fantastic. This version of the character was promptly killed off by Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch.
It is not yet clear if Krasinski will reprise the role of Reed Richards in the MCU’s primary universe. He is a popular choice with fans, but earlier comments from Multiverse of Madness director Sam Raimi seemed to imply Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige only wanted Krasinski as an alternate universe version of the character, as a fun nod to the countless online fan-castings.
Here is the synopsis for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which featured John Krasinski’s Reed Richards:
The MCU unlocks the Multiverse and pushes its boundaries further than ever before. Journey into the unknown with Doctor Strange, who, with the help of mystical allies both old and new, traverses the mind-bending and dangerous alternate realities of the Multiverse to confront a mysterious new adversary.
Directed by Sam Raimi from a script written by Michael Waldron, the film stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, Xochitl Gomez, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Rachel McAdams.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is now available to own on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD, and is also streaming exclusively on Disney+. Fantastic Four arrives in theaters on November 8, 2024. Be sure to continue following Heroic Hollywood for all the latest news on Marvel’s Fantastic Four, and subscribe to our YouTube channel for more original video content!
Source: Twitter
