- John Krasinski was brought into Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness as Reed Richards as an easter egg, and Marvel had no plans of carrying his role forward.
- His appearance in Fantastic Four: First Steps was anticipated, but he was recast with Pedro Pascal.
- Fantastic Four: First Steps is set to release on July 25, 2025.
Back in 2022, when Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was released, one of the best things about the movie was the inclusion of John Krasinski in the cast as Mister Fantastic. However, with Fantastic Four: First Steps, Marvel decided to recast and bring in Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards. So, if you are wondering why that happened, here’s the answer to why John Krasinski is not in The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
Why Did Marvel Cast Pedro Pascal Instead of John Krasinski in Fantastic Four?
In an interview with The Direct, director Sam Raimi revealed that John Krasinski’s appearance as Mister Fantastic in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was purely fan service. That’s right, Marvel, and specifically Kevin Feige, never intended for Krasinski to be the permanent face of Reed Richards. It was just a fun little Easter egg tossed in for the fans. Speaking on the matter, Sam said—
“It’s so funny that Kevin cast John because the fans had a dream of who the perfect Reed Richards would be. And because this is an alternate universe, I think Kevin said, ‘Let’s make that dream come true.’ I’ve always really enjoyed all of his performances.”
Sure, this might come as a bit of a letdown for fans who were hoping to see John Krasinski lead a full-blown Fantastic Four movie as Reed Richards. But there’s a silver lining: Marvel did make it happen, even if just for a moment, purely for the fans.
So, honestly, instead of dwelling on what could’ve been, maybe we should just appreciate the fact that we got to see Krasinski stretch into the role. Now, it’s time to look ahead and see what Pedro Pascal brings to the table as the new Mister Fantastic.
Shashank Shakya
