Thinking on the possible casting of Jon Watt's FANTASTIC FOUR

(Marvel Studio's FANTASTIC FOUR Logo, Marvel/Disney 2020)

On December 11th 2020, Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios announced active development on an Upcoming Fantastic Four reboot. Along with the development it was also announced that Director Jon Watts, who helmed the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Spider-Man Trilogy for Marvel, Sony, and Disney. This is the most active development we've seen on the project since Disney's Acquisition of 20th Century Fox.

More recently, in an Article (and later video) by Andy Signore of Popcorned Planet for Fandom Wire divulged information relating to the expected casting of the Fantastic Four. In this report is was stated that Marvel is looking to be more diverse in it's casting of the Fantastic Four. To paraphrase, while the Storms will be genetic siblings of the same race, they're eyeing performers of color for the Storms as well as for Reed Richards and Ben Grimm. The article also states to be looking at actors between their 20's and 30's. 

Now, there is no way this movie has locked in any cast. Jon Watts has just recently finished filming Spider-Man: No Way Home, and it's likely currently going through a rigorous post-production where he's just as hands on as if he's filming. Secondly casting can take ages, especially while a script is being prepared. He's likely had almost no time to actually sit down and think about the bigger picture let alone what his cast might look like. So just from a logistical stand point that he's not even read performers for the roles. On top of this he's also working on a new television series The Old Man, which might be a good break considering most of his filmography as a director revolves around what he's done for Marvel.

Personally I'm not one for tokenized casting, mainly because I don't believe it's typically done with a story purpose and rarely a simple a case of "This was the person who read for the role and was the absolute best." Personally I'm of the opinion of casting the absolute best performer for the role regardless of their ethnicity, sexuality, nationality, or gender. For me it's always been a game of "Who is best to represent the character." In my attempts at casting I like to think I always lend my view to the talent of any given performer over anything else and try to cast according to what I feel would be properly representing who the characters are and who can bring them to life on screen.

However, I am a flexible individual and there are certainly people of color who are absolutely perfect for these roles. Michael B. Jordan was a slam dunk as Johnny Storm who was given painfully little to do in the overly produced "FANT4STIC". So eyeing the possibility of casting a diver Fantastic Four, I've racked my brain to see what would be diverse but well cast Fantastic Four. I'm not perfect in this endeavor and I still cast actors that I want to see in the roles regardless. 

So while this is me casting to a more progressive lens for the Fantastic Four, no doubt many will find it to be imperfect and very far from reaching the diversity that Marvel is leaning towards. I seek to, in casting the roles, find performers who can best represent the characters as they are in the comics. This is, for me at least, a cast I would be happy to see in the films and would hope to see considering how Marvel wishes to cast the film. If, by some miracle of no doubt boredom director Jon Watts comes across this, I hope he looks at these choices with at least some interest and intrigue into these choices.

So without further ado, I present my choices, for consideration, for Marvel Studio's Upcoming Fantastic Four...

Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic [Height: 6’ 1”, Age: 20’s-30’s]: Dr. Reed Richards is a scientist and inventor, better known as Mister Fantastic, who has been considered the smartest man on Earth. He is a polymath with mastery of all the sciences including electrical, mechanical, aerospace engineering, electronics, chemistry, physics, biology and beyond. Richards was exposed to high levels of cosmic radiation along with his best friend Ben Grimm, then girlfriend Sue Storm and her younger brother Johnny Storm, during a trip to space in the stolen rocket, the Marvel-1. The radiation mutated him and his friends, allowing him to stretch and mold his body at will. Together they became the Fantastic Four, a team of adventurers who explored space, time and alternate dimensions and saved the world along the way from science-based threats

Nicholas Hoult [Height: 6’ 3”, Age: 31, Notable Works: X-Men (Franchise), Mad Max: Fury Road, Tolkien]: He’s utterly fantastic as an actor. If you look at his work as Beast you can already see he’s perfect for the role. With glasses on he looks exactly like the comic book character, even more so when looking at the early iteration of Reed Richards' Ultimate Fantastic Four counterpart. He’s got the look, the talent, and the age to carry a franchise and play the perfect Reed Richards. He's got the age, he's been very loyal to Marvel with his work as Beast in the X-Men Films and it was a sad thing to know he missed out on The Batman. He's a terrific actor and would be iconic in the role. He’s really the kind of actor Marvel should be hunting for in the role. Once fans would see him in the role, they would know what makes him so perfect for the character.

Sue Storm/Invisible Woman [Height: 5’ 6”, Age: 30’s-40’s]: Dr. Susan "Sue" Storm, aka the Invisible Woman, is an American superpowered adventurer. She was a college student before she was exposed to high levels of cosmic radiation when boyfriend and scientist, Dr. Reed Richards, took her with her younger brother, Johnny Storm and pilot Ben Grimm, into space in the stolen rocket Marvel-1. The radiation mutated her and her friends, turning her invisible and allowing her to create forcefields. Together they became the Fantastic Four, a team of adventurers who explored space, time and alternate dimensions and saved the world along the way from science-based threats.

Zazie Beetz [Height: 5' 6", Age: 30, Notable Works: Atlanta, Deadpool 2, Joker]: Zazie is an actress I'm extremely fond of, and while she appeared in Deadpool 2, it's not a canon film within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She's really an incredible actress who has really been able to bring a level of warmth to her characters that make you admire them in their struggle. Sue has always been the foundation of the Fantastic Four and, for lack of a better term, the team's mother. Zazie, as an actress, has certainly brought that level of warmness and could certainly play that Matriarchal figure over the team. Putting her in the role really gets someone who can be that kind ear for the team and can do all the action and work with the special effects nature of the role. From all around she's really a terrific choice for the role and would stand out among the current pantheon of Marvel Women by bringing that motherly appeal and still stand tall in such a heavy action role. Sue is a highly vulnerable person and Zazie can get the nature of that vulnerability and make it feel like real struggles while earning the audiences' love.

Johnny Storm/The Human Torch [Height: 5’ 10”, Age: 20’s-30’s]: Jonathan "Johnny" Storm aka the Human Torch was an American superpowered adventurer. He was a high school student before he was exposed to high levels of cosmic radiation when sister Sue Storm's boyfriend and scientist; Dr. Reed Richards took them and pilot Ben Grimm, into space in the stolen rocket; Marvel-1. The radiation mutated him and his friends, turning his entire body into a fiery, plasma-like state. Together they became the Fantastic Four, a team of adventurers who explored space, time and alternate dimensions and saved the world along the way from science-based threats.

John Boyega [Height: 5' 7", Age: 29, Notable Works: Attack the Block, Pacific Rim: Uprising, Star Wars (Sequel Trilogy)]: John Boyega is a very rare actor who can actually move effortlessly between being a comedic goofball and a serious individual while maintaining a level of likeable charisma. He's certainly one of the best actors to really gain mainstream exposure from Star Wars. It was unfortunate how his character was underutilized in the film while he, as an actor, was underpromoted in the films. He's got the right attributes to play the role, he's a handsome charismatic actor who can be believable in action and comedy without losing stock in either department. He's perfect to work opposite Zazie as Sue and you could certainly see the two carrying great brother/sister chemistry.

Ben Grimm/The Thing [Height: 6’ 0”, Age: 30’s-40’s]: Ben Grimm was an astronaut and former USAF test pilot. Grimm was exposed to high levels of cosmic radiation when his best friend, scientist Dr. Reed Richards took him and his friends Sue Storm and her younger brother Johnny Storm, into space in the stolen rocket; Marvel-1. The radiation mutated him and his friends, turning him into a super-strong rock like monster with a "Heart of Gold". Together they became the Fantastic Four, a team of adventurers who explored space, time and alternate dimensions and saved the world along the way from science-based threats.

 Oliver Jackson-Cohen [Height: 6’ 3”, Age: 34, Notable Works: The Raven, The Healer, The Invisible Man]: First I must admit, it felt inherently important to keep Ben Grimm as a Jewish Character. While he was a fan favorite for Moon Knight, Oliver Jackson-Cohen is a terrific actor who's done some unique roles. He's one of the more well known Jewish actors of his generation with the appropriate size and presence for the role. He's probably best known for either his role in The Invisible Man or The Haunting of Hill House. It's the latter that really put him on the radar, as he's playing an everyman character going through something extraordinary (albeit horrifying). He's got a real frame to him that allows him to project a bigger size. He towers over a lot of actors and has a voice perfect for playing such a character like Ben. In The Invisible Man he had a sound to him that makes him sound much angrier and much deeper than what might be expected. He's a strong actor and he has all the right attributes to bring the character to the screen in what would be an iconic performance. 

Victor Von Doom/Doctor Doom [Height: 6’ 2” (Normal), 6’ 7” (Armored), Age: 30’s]: Dr. Victor Von Doom, Ph.D aka Doctor Doom is a Latverian politician who serves as the Monarch and Supreme Leader for the Kingdom of Latveria. He was scarred from an accident and wears an iron mask and armor to hide his true face. He is considered one of the most brilliant minds and scientists on the planet Earth. He is also a sorcerer with skills in magic matching the most powerful beings in the Universe, making him a potential candidate for Sorcerer Supreme. He hopes to bring order and betterment to humanity through world conquest. Unequalled in ability, ego, and will power, he has come into conflict with both superhumans and cosmic beings. He is best known as the rival of Reed Richards and arch-enemy of the Fantastic Four.

Harry Lloyd [Height: 5’ 11”, Age: 37, Notable Works: Game of Thrones, Legion, Brave New World]: One look at his role in Brave New World and instantly I got the feeling of Victor Von Doom. He is a wonderful actor, he has an edge to play a villain and a sense of regality that makes him a perfect fit for the role. He's delivered strong and menacing performances, he's played much more relaxed and intelligent characters as well. Doom would be a perfect melting pot for Lloyd to really cut loose and show audiences what he can provide as an actor. He's got everything from the look and talent to the presence and menace needed to play a role like Doctor Doom. There's no doubt he would be an absolute stand out in the role and be a perfect Doctor Doom.

(Marvel's ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR by Bryan Hitch, Marvel Comics/Disney, 2004)

I know the casting might seem a bit one note, but I feel like it leans more diverse then what some might expect. I hope it feels like a cast inline with what Marvel is aiming for, while I know I probably hit a few notes glaringly wrong. But I feel representing the POC Community through Johnny and Sue, and representing the Jewish Community through Ben felt perfectly appropriate for representation while casting the most fitting actor in all five roles I pitch here. I hope others like it and feel it's a perfectly fine take for what many want to see out of Fantastic Four. This is a franchise I am highly personally invested in and I am very eager to see how Fantastic Four is presented in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and hope to see some casting announcements soon.