The Fantastic Four: First Steps Director on Which Character Was Most Challenging to Cast

Matt Shakman, who directed the upcoming MCU feature The Fantastic Four: First Steps, revealed in a new interview which character was the most difficult to cast for the movie. Notably, the movie is slated to mark the inaugural appearance of the Fantastic Four, often regarded as the first family of Marvel, in the MCU.

Matt Shakman explains why it was tough to find the right actor to play Reed Richards

Shakman disclosed in a new interview with Variety that Reed Richards / Mister Fantastic was the most challenging to cast for The Fantastic Four: First Steps. He explained, “He [Reed] goes from being the nerdy scientist who’s locked away in the lab, to the husband and the father who’d do anything to protect his family, to the guy who’s leading the Avengers. I realized that the version we were building had to have all of those elements.”

Accordingly, it makes sense that casting for the character who would one day lead the Avengers in Doomsday and Secret Wars was tough. Eventually, Pedro Pascal, whom Shakman had known since they were active in the world of theater and stage productions in their 20s, was cast in the role. “We had the same talent manager at the beginning of our careers,” Pascal recalled in an email to the same outlet. “We even almost became roommates. Matt has always been a theater animal and would include me in various things he was assembling in the theater community in Los Angeles. Coming together for ‘Fantastic Four’ felt absolutely fated in the stars,” he added.

The cast of The Fantastic Four: First Steps also includes Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm / Invisible Woman, Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm / The Thing, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm / Human Torch, and Julia Garner as Shalla-Bal / Silver Surfer. Before First Steps, Shakman directed the 2014 thriller Cut Bank. He also helmed episodes of shows such as the WB’s Everwood, USA Network’s Psych, and the Disney+ series WandaVision.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is scheduled to release in U.S. theaters on July 25, 2025.

Originally reported by Tamal Kundu on SuperHeroHype.

Source: Comingsoon.net