Pedro Pascal reveals he based his MCU Reed Richards performance on an animal while filming The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Three months before the movie’s theatrical release, The Fantastic Four: First Steps‘ second trailer provides a first glimpse at Reed Richards’ super-stretching powers, which look quite faithful to the comics. Since Kamala Khan’s powers were changed for her MCU adaptation, The Fantastic Four: First Steps marks the first time this ability appears in the MCU.

In an interview with ComicBook, The Fantastic Four: First Steps star Pedro Pascal reveals he drew inspiration from an octopus for his portrayal of the MCU’s Reed Richards. Pascal explains that, more than a reference for Mister Fantastic’s stretching powers, he based his Reed Richards performance on an octopus by keeping the animal in his subconscious. Read Pedro Pascal’s full comments below:

“With Reed, his body may stretch, but this is a brain character. I guess I’ll just give it completely away. I thought of the brilliance of an octopus. Not in any literal physical translated way, but I put it into my subconscious. Yeah. That’s the biggest character secret reveal that I’ve given to you.”

What Pedro Pascal’s Reed Richards Stretching Power Comments Mean

An Octopus Is The Perfect Representation Of Pedro Pascal’s Reed Richards

The octopus is one of the most flexible and adaptable animals in the world, and they can shape and stretch every part of their bodies to an extreme degree. Reed Richards’ super-stretching abilities make him Marvel’s equivalent of a superhero octopus. However, Reed Richards’ similarities to an octopus go beyond his body. Pedro Pascal’s Reed Richards is the leader of his universe’s world-famous superhero team, a celebrity, a first-time father, a multi-hyphenated scientist, a pioneer of space travel, a husband, a loyal friend, and a world-saving hero.

Similarly to most of his multiversal counterparts, Pedro Pascal’s Reed Richards will juggle several responsibilities simultaneously, but he’s bound to fail at many of them. A big part of Reed Richards’ recurring conflict in the source material is stretching himself thin, literally and figuratively. There’s only so much his body can do, and there’s only so much he can try to achieve, despite his genius-level intellect. In The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Pascal’s Reed Richards may need to make serious sacrifices in order to protect his family and his world.

Our Take On Pedro Pascal’s Reed Richards Stretching Power Comments

Reed Richards’ True Power Lies In His Mind, Not His Body

Reed Richards is arguably the weakest member of the Fantastic Four, yet he’s the team’s leader and one of the most influential characters in the Marvel multiverse. The Fantastic Four: First Steps‘ trailers suggest the Phase 6 movie will focus on this dicH๏τomy. Pedro Pascal’s Reed Richards will have to answer for the Fantastic Four’s efforts to save the world from Galactus. While his stretching abilities will help him in battle, it’s Reed Richards’ intellect and leadership skills that will decide whether the Fantastic Four succeed or not.

Source: ComicBook

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