There is plenty to be excited about when it comes to the upcoming release of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, especially when it comes to one of its lead actors. After Disney announced the acquisition of 21st Century Fox in 2017, the Fantastic Four was one of the most highly-anticipated Marvel properties to come into the MCU. The speculation around who would be cast for Marvel’s first family was an event in itself, and the studio finally did not disappoint with their eventual finds.
The Fantastic Four cast was confirmed with Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm. Each actor in the lead quartet has starred in wildly popular shows in recent years, so there’s no doubting the talent they will bring to the big screen. The fact that the MCU timeline will finally get to introduce the Fantastic Four into the franchise will be a monumental moment in itself, but there’s another first among the cast that holds cause for celebration.
In A 2017 Interview, Pedro Pascal Said He’d Probably Play Villains Forever
Pedro Pascal has become one of the most coveted names in Hollywood. He’s proven his ability to lead major franchises such as The Mandalorian and The Last of Us. He’s generally regarded as leading man-material, but the actor didn’t always believe so after he landed his breakout role as Oberyn Martell in Game of Thrones. Though the character wasn’t a villain, he was unpredictable and dangerous. During an interview with the Los Angeles Times in 2017, Pascal said “I’m not dangerous, but I have a sharp nose. I will probably be playing bad guys forever because of my face.”
Since Pascal was still an unknown name when he booked Game of Thrones, there was no guarantee about his future acting career and what roles would come his way, especially as an actor of color. Actors of color are commonly relegated to villain roles, and particularly one-dimensional villain roles at that, whether it’s an evil character with no depth or a racial stereotype played off as comic relief. Pascal actually did end up playing a supervillain in Wonder Woman 1984, but he’s managed to make a name for himself outside of that type of role, as evidenced with his upcoming MCU debut.
Pedro Pascal Is The First Latino Actor To Play The Marvel Hero Reed Richards
With his upcoming role as Mr. Fantastic, Pascal will be the first Latino actor to play Reed Richards. It’ll also make him one of the handful of Latino superheroes currently in the MCU, and shows just how far the franchise has evolved. Hollywood has had an undeniable problem with typecasting people of color into certain characters while whitewashing leading roles. It speaks volumes that a huge studio like Marvel has been casting actors of color in roles that don’t necessarily depend on their racial idenтιтy, giving them a chance to shine beyond stereotypes.
Contrary to his interview in 2017, Pascal has broken out of the villain mold. Not only is he not typecast as a villain, but he’s become known for playing characters that are considered father figures. This was first seen with Joel in The Last Of Us and then Pacal’s role as the тιтular character in The Mandalorian, with the trend set to continue thanks to the actor’s role as Reed in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. His MCU casting was already well-received in the first place, but it gets even better knowing what it’ll mean for representation, especially when Pascal himself didn’t think that it would ever happen.
Upcoming MCU Movies
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Thunderbolts*
- Release Date
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May 2, 2025
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The Fantastic Four: First Steps
- Release Date
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July 25, 2025
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Avengers: Doomsday (2026)
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MCU Spider-Man 4
- Release Date
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July 24, 2026
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Avengers: Secret Wars
- Release Date
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May 7, 2027
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