Fantastic Four Fantasy Casting: Who Fits The First Family Of Marvel?

Marvel Studios seem to be embracing the concept of the Multiverse well and truly, something that I will try and steer away from due to the potential spoilers for Disney+ Originals WandaVision and Loki.

The Multiverse concept was originally touted by fans when Disney completed the acquisition of 20th Century Fox, which included character licenses for the X-Men, Deadpool, and confirmed for Phase 4, The Fantastic Four. When Disney announced Fantastic Four on their slate, speculation, and excitement soon followed as we saw the first confirmed transition from 20th Century Fox Marvel to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

What has not been confirmed, however, is who Marvel plans to have fill the boots of the blue spandex-donning characters. So I would like to have a go at giving who I think should take the mantle. Needless to say, this is a list adhering to my own personal opinions.

Mr Fantastic: John Krasinski

Mr Fantastic takes centre stage as the leader and egg-head of the Fantastic Four, and the husband and brother-in-law to the Invisible Woman and Human Torch has been shown in prior comics and movies alike to struggle dividing his time between being a committed husband and superhero genius. It makes sense then that casting Mr Fantastic should focus on someone who has to fill the role of husband in real life as well as act in Hollywood blockbusters.

Enter John Krasinski, who has rose to prominence as the loveable and crafty Jim Halpert in the US iteration of The Office, as well as transitioning into big-name action-thriller movie A Quiet Place and the sequel A Quiet Place II. He is also in real life the husband to Mary Poppins Returns actress Emily Blunt, whom he starred next to for the aforementioned A Quiet Place movies (More on her later).

At 41 years of age, Krasinski in my opinion is the perfect age to take on the mantle of Mr Fantastic, carrying forward a presumed intelligence and versed demeanor.

Similar to the casting of Mark Ruffalo as the Hulk, Mr Fantastic’s casting also works better with someone older than 40 when you consider the time period amassed when someone garners the qualifications and knowledge that the characters have. Beyond that, look at the man’s acting ability in A Quiet Place, he is built for the role of family man even better supplemented with this person by his side…

Invisible Woman: Emily Blunt

It makes perfect sense that the husband/wife superhero duo be played by a real-life husband/wife duo, and as briefly mentioned before they have insane acting chemistry which can serve as paramount for the on-screen chemistry of Reed and Susan Richards.

Away from her partnership with Krasinski, Emily Blunt herself is an insanely talented actress with the ability to convey emotions that the viewer genuinely feels. Watching her recent efforts in A Quiet Place and The Girl on the Train she has a way of presenting herself as both desperate and determined all in one and is one of the not many people who has the chops on her to take blockbuster after blockbuster.

Again, she is a mother and a wife in real life, and carrying that over to the big screen has become second nature to her.

All in all, the chemistry between Blunt and Krasinski is tangible and their family portrayal palpable, they would both be perfect for the roles.

The Thing: Stephen Graham

The Irishman actor Stephen Graham would be the perfect man for The Thing, with the character presumably being presented through CGI mostly with a touch of MoCap, Stephen Graham would be great presenting the gruff Ben Grimm through expressive vocals. The Irishman showcased Graham’s ability to present a gruff and jaded New Yorker whilst his performances in the movies Snatch and Yardie advertised his comedic timing and intensity respectively.

What further aids Graham is his prior work with Disney on the Pirates of the Carribean movies On Stranger Tides and Dead Men Tell No Tales (Salazar’s Revenge), playing the largely comedic side character Scrum.

The Thing is also a character with emotional baggage and depth to portray since his mutation drastically changes his appearance and as a result the way he is perceived by the public also takes a negative change. His performance in The Virtuses displays Graham’s ability to present hard-hitting and layered emotional depth.

As one of the most respected actors today with such an immense skill set, Stephen Graham makes for the perfect fit for The Thing.

Human Torch (Dream Scenario): Chris Evans

Now, this is almost certainly never going to happen. Chris Evans helped construct the foundation for the MCU we know and love today playing as Captain America, but before he donned the famous stars and stripes, he had a run as the Human Torch in Fantastic Four and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. His performance as the cocky, fun-loving and boystrous Johnny Storm was perfect and he remains a highlight of the albeit disappointing movies.

How cool would it be to see Chris Evans back in the MCU as Johnny Storm? This would also serve to show the effects that a branched timeline within the MCU continuity can have, with Cap and Torch having an uncanny resemblance that can be referenced when the Four and The Avengers inevitably cross paths.

We can dream, right?

(Back to Reality) Human Torch: Zac Efron

Who would have thought when Zac Efron broke onto the scene with High School Musical that he would eventually become one of the most adored and respected actors within Hollywood? Efron has endeared viewers with hilarious performances in the Neighbours comedy movies and Baywatch, as well as displaying his acting chops in the Ted Bundy thriller Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile.

Beyond that, Human Torch is well known for having a chiseled physique typical for superheroes of the Golden Age of comics as well as being a bit of a boy-toy. It does seem shallow to say, but Zac Efron also fits the mould in this sense as well.

Efron fits the bill as a younger, fresh Human Torch with previous performances in Neighbours demonstrating his knack for presenting a troublesome and fun loving youngster, a perfect fit.

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