Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe already shifted to debut later this year due to the current pandemic but it doesn't mean that work for folks at Marvel Studios has stopped. While it has been rumored that production for all upcoming MCU properties will resume in September , it seems that other essential work behind the scenes are still happening. When Disney acquired Fox last year, characters from the X-Men and Fantastic Four franchise were all set to return home to Marvel Studios. In last year's San Diego Comic Con, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige teased that a Fantastic Four movie was on its way , which sent fans into a frenzy.
Many speculations and fan castings for Marvel's First Family have been going around ever since the merger between the two companies. One of the fans' top picks to play Reed Richards has been actor-director John Krasinski. Krasinski is famously known to play Jim Halpert in the hit TV series, The Office , as well as the lead actor for the horror movie, The Quiet Place, which he also directed. While Krasinski has already expressed his desire to direct and star in a Fantastic Four movie recently, a new report may indicate that he already talked to Marvel Studios about this.
RUMOR
Based on a report from Thomas Polito of Geeks Worldwide , Marvel Studios has reportedly been taking virtual meetings with several actors and directors over the past weeks, and one of them is none other than John Krasinski. Polito also shared that "they discussed a multitude of projects during their meeting" and this is the first time that the two parties formally met in this capacity.
WHAT THIS MEANS
While we can take this rumor with a grain of salt, it is interesting to know that Marvel Studios is still hard at work virtually amid the pandemic. Krasinski has been the internet's top choice to play Reed Richards for some time now and the rumor of him formally meeting with Marvel Studios points to a good sign of him potentially playing the role. Moreover, Krasinski has been vocal about not just playing the character but also directing a MCU property. Marvel Studios already has a long track record of picking the right actors to play major roles, including casting the likes of Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, Chris Evans as Captain America, and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury.
For those unaware, this is not the first time that Krasinski has been a targeted name for a Marvel Studios project. Back in the early days of Phase 1, Krasinski was almost cast as the MCU's Captain America, a role which later went to Chris Evans instead. If the casting for Krasinski as Reed Richards will push through, it would seem almost poetic for him to play the character who leads Marvel's first family and moves the MCU forward from Captain America along with the rest of the original Avengers. While the MCU's own version of the Fantastic Four is still a long way ahead, the possible casting of Krasinski as Reed Richards might be the first huge step for the long awaited debut of the franchise.
