Warning: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness spoilers: Since his cameo in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, fans have wanted to know if John Krasinski will play Mr. Fantastic again in the upcoming Fantastic Four movie or if his role in the Doctor Strange sequel was just a one-time deal.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is set after the events of 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home, which sees Doctor Strange break open the Multiverse to help his fellow Marvel superhero, Peter Parker / Spider-Man, become anonymous again. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness sees Doctor Strange deal with the multiverse again as he learns of the repercussions that come with messing with time and space. In an interview with Rolling Stone in 2022, director Sam Raimi explained how Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is different than any other Marvel movie. “It’s a really complex movie,” he said. “It’s probably the most complex movie I’ve ever had anything to do with. Not just dealing with one character, or even five characters, but multiversal versions of those characters — and each one has a storyline.”
He also told the magazine about how the movie follows the storyline of Disney Plus’ 2021 miniseries, WandaVision, starring Elizabeth Olsen as Scarlet Witch / Wanda Maximoff. “I’m not really sure what the WandaVision schedule was or how it changed. I just know that halfway, or maybe three-quarters of the way into our writing process, I’d first heard of this show they were doing and that we would have to follow it,” he said. “Therefore, we had to really study what WandaVision was doing, so we could have a proper through line and character-growth dynamic. I never even saw all of WandaVision; I’ve just seen key moments of some episodes that I was told directly impact our storyline.”
While Raimi had to follow some of the story already told in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he also revealed to Rolling Stone that the studio gave him “complete creative freedom” to tell his own story in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. “Well, let me say — and this may sound like I’m talking out of both sides of my mouth — that Marvel allowed me complete creative freedom,” he said. “However, it had to follow so many things in Marvel lore, [so] even though I had complete freedom, the previous movies and where Marvel wants to go in the future really directed the path in an incredibly specific way. Within those parameters I have freedom, but I’ve got to tell the story of those characters in a way that ties in with all of the properties simultaneously. We had to make sure, for instance, that Doctor Strange didn’t know more than he had learned about the multiverse from No Way Home. And yet we had to make sure he wasn’t ignorant of things that he had already learned. So everything was dictated by what had become before.”
But back to John Krasinski and Mr. Fantastic. So…will John Krasinski play Mr. Fantastic again after Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness? Read on for what we know about the upcoming Fantastic Four movie and whether John Krasinski will return as Mr. Fantastic.
Will John Krasinski play Mr. Fantastic again after Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness?
Image: Charles Sykes/Invision/AP.
Will John Krasinski play Mr. Fantastic again after Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness? Krasinski makes a cameo in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness as Reed Richards / Mr. Fantastic from the Fantastic Four comics. His cameo occurs after Doctor Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) travel to Earth-838, where they meet a multiversal Karl Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor), who drugs them with tea and takes them to the headquarters of the Illuminati, a secret society of superheroes consisting of Karl Mordo, Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart), Maria Rambeau / Captain Marvel (Lashana Lynch), Peggy Carter / Captain America (Hayley Atwell), Blackagar Boltagon / Black Bolt (Anson Mount) and Reed Richards / Mr. Fantastic played by Krasinski. While at the headquarters, Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) ambushes the space looking for America, who has the power to travel the Multiverse, which Wanda wants to see her sons, Billy and Tommy, again, The Illuminati fight Wanda, who kills them one by one. Mr. Fantastic is the second Illuminati member to be killed by Wanda after he tries to attack her with an extended arm before she stops him and shreds his body with her mind.
So…will John Krasinski play Mr. Fantastic again after Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness? Kevin Feige, the president of Marvel Studios, confirmed that another upcoming Fantastic Four movie was in the works at a Disney Investor’s Day presentation in December 2020. The Fantastic Four were introduced in the Marvel comic, “The Fantastic Four #1” in November 1961. The team consists of four people who were exposed to cosmic rays during a scientific mission in outerspace and receive superpowers: Reed Richards / Mr. Fantastic, a scentist who can stretch his body into incredible lengths and shapes; Sue Storm / Invisible Woman, Reed’s wife who can turn herself invisible and project force fields and blasts; Johnny Storm / Human Torch, Sue’s younger brother who can fly and generate flames; and Ben grimm / Thing, Reed’s college roommate and the pilot of the trip who possesses superhuman strength and durability due to his stone-like skin.
Feige also announced at the presentation that Jon Watts—who directed the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Spider-Man movies: 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming, 2019’s Spider-Man: Far From Home, and 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home—was also set to direct the upcoming Fantastic Four movie. However, in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter in April 2022, Watts announced that he had exited the movie. “Making three Spider-Man films was an incredible and life-changing experience for me. I’m eternally grateful to have been a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe for seven years. I’m hopeful we’ll work together again, and I can’t wait to see the amazing vision for Fantastic Four brought to life,” his statement read.
Feige and Marvel Studios co-president Louis D’Esposito also confirmed that Watts had exited the Fantastic Four in a separate statement to The Hollywood Reporter. “Collaborating with Jon on the Spider-Man films has been a true pleasure. We were looking forward to continuing our work with him to bring the Fantastic Four into the MCU but understand and are supportive of his reasons for stepping away. We are optimistic that we will have the opportunity to work together again at some point down the road,” the statement read.
While the cast to the upcoming Fantastic Four movie hasn’t been announced yet, it’s possible that Krasinski will still play Mr. Fantastic in the film. Though Mr. Fantastic died in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, his death only happened in Earth-838, which means that a version of him could still be alive Earth-616, where the rest of the characters from Marvel Cinematic Universe exist. Krasinski also has a long history with the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In a 2020 interview on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Krasinski revealed that he was almost cast as Steve Rogers / Captain America before Chris Evans was offered the role. “The truth is, they hadn’t offered it to [Chris] yet, so they were like, ‘Let’s see who else is out there before we offer it to Chris Evans.’ And um, I went in and I tested for Captain America,” Krasinski said. “I acted my heart out that that day and it didn’t work out.”
He told Total Film in 2020 that he’s still open to joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe while responding to rumors that he’s in consideration for Mr. Fantastic. “I would love to be in the Marvel universe,” he said at the time. “I love those movies because they’re fun, but I also think they’re really well done. And certainly a lot of my friends are in those movies. I have no idea what [Marvel] are thinking. But if they are considering me for Mr. Fantastic, continue to consider me because I would love it.”
Krasinski’s wife, Emily Blunt, responded to rumors that she had been cast as Sue Storm to his Reed Richards, in a 2020 interview on The Howard Stern Show. “That is fan-casting. No one has received a phone call,” Blunt said “That’s just people saying, ‘Wouldn’t that be great?’” While Blunt—who was offered the role of Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow before Scarlett Johansson—would be open to joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe, she also confessed that the frequency of the films has left her feeling “a bit cold.” “It’s not that it’s beneath me,” she said. “I love Iron Man and when I got offered Black Widow I was obsessed with Iron Man. I wanted to work with Robert Downey Jr.—it would’ve been amazing … but I don’t know if superhero movies are for me. They’re not up my alley. I don’t like them. I really don’t.” She continued,“It’s been exhausted. We are inundated—it’s not only all the movies, it’s the endless TV shows as well. It’s not to say that I’d never want to play one, it would just have to be something so cool and like a really cool character, and then I’d be interested.” According to CBR, casting for the Fantastic Four movie started in January 20222.
Movie rights to the Fantastic Four were first purchased by 20th Century Fox in 2000. The studio produced two films starring Chris Evans, Jessica Alba, Ioan Gruffudd and Michael Chiklis as the Fantastic Four: 2005’s Fantastic Four and 2007’s Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. 20th Century Fox rebooted the franchise in 2015 with a new Fantastic Four film starring Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan, Kate Mara and Jamie Bell as the superhero team. The movie was met with poor reviews from both fans and critics, which led Walt Disney Studios—which owns the Marvel Cinematic Universe to buy 21st Century Fox in 2019 and acquire the rights to the Fantastic Four.
Who’s in the Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness cast?
The Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness cast sees the return of Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Stephen Strange, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Karl Mordo, Benedict Wong as Wong, Rachel McAdams as Christine Palmer, and Michael Stuhlbarg as Nicodemus West from the first Doctor Strange movie in 2016. The Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness cast also includes Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch (who starred with Cumberbatch in 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War and 2019’s Avengers: Endgame), as well as introduces Xochitl Gomez as America Chavez. Patrick Stewart, who played role as Charles Xavier / Professor X in 20th Century Fox’s X-Men movies, also made a cameo in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
See below for the full Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness cast.
- Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Stephen Strange
- Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch
- Chiwetel Ejiofor as Karl Mordo
- Benedict Wong as Wong
- Xochitl Gomez as America Chavez
- Michael Stuhlbarg as Nicodemus West
- Rachel McAdams as Christine Palmer
- Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier / Professor X
- Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter / Captain Carter
- Lashana Lynch as Maria Rambeau
- Anson Mount as Blackagar Boltagon / Black Bolt
- John Krasinski as Reed Richards / Mister Fantastic
- Julian Hilliard as Billy
- Jett Klyne as Tommy
- Topo Wresniwiro reprises his role as Hamir
- Sheila Atim as Sarah,
- Adam Hugill as Rintrah
- Charlize Theron as Clea
- Bruce Campbell as a Pizza Poppa owner
In an interview with Rolling Stone in 2022, director Sam Raimi explained how Cumberbatch differentiated his variations of Doctor Strange in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. “Noticing the little nuances that Benedict would come up with to differentiate his alter-self. Subtleties, waves of movement, distinct style of speech,” he said. He really is an actor’s actor, and he uses all the tools at his disposal quite elegantly. You can call ‘Action’ and then just lose yourself in his performance over the next two and a half minutes. You just have to remember to call ‘Cut,’ because he’s so spellbinding.”
Raimi also told Rolling Stone about how Olsen played a part in how Scarlet Witch’s story was told in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. “She had just come from that Emmy Award-winning show all about her character and the character’s growth. So it would be foolhardy to try and tell her who her character is or what her character was feeling at that moment. I can craft the the story going forward with her, but she’s got to be an integral part of the storytelling or it wouldn’t make any sense,” he said.
As for the cast member he was most surprised by, Raimi named Wong. “I think Benedict Wong. I didn’t know how funny he was in person, or how lively of a presence he was on set. He’s really super creative, and a great joy to work with. He really brings an energy and a sense of fun to his work that the movie really needs,” he said.
In an interview with Moviefone, Cumberbatch also agreed with a past statement Raimi made about how Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will change how fans think about the character. “I like to think so. I mean, there’s an awful lot going on in this film. I hope that isn’t lost on people. There is some character development, which I think is pretty crucial to him. I think we’ve seen him in his first introduction to the Marvel cinematic universe, as he was an arrogant neurosurgeon and a man trapped in a gilded cage of his own making,” he said. “His ego was driving what he was doing, it was not out of a duty of caring. Then to have a duty of caring, the idea of doing things for others, being selfless and sacrificing, that came with his transition into a superhero.”
He continued, “I think since the last few films he’s been pretty omnipotent and unquestionable, and then a human relationship with Peter Parker has destabilized all that and creates the need for him to help someone he both admired as a fellow soldier on the battlefield, so to speak, but also as a human being who’d lost his mentor and someone he cared about by the end of the film. It opened up the problem that he still faces in his own character, which is this level of arrogance believing that his way is the only way and only he can actually solve the problem. I think what he learns in this is it’s better to act together than to act alone. That’s the big shift I’d say, without pointing too much in the direction of how that happens.”
Will there be a Doctor Strange 3?
Will there be a Doctor Strange 3? SPOILER: A third Doctor Strange movie was confirmed at the end of the Strange in the Multiverse of Madness credits, which read: “Doctor Strange will return.” However, it could be a while until Doctor Strange 3 comes out. In an interview with IGN in 2022, Cumberbatch was asked how he balances between acting and fatherhood. “It gets very multiversal in real life as well,” he said. (Cumberbatch shares sons Finn, 3, Hal, 5, and Christopher, 6, with wife Sophie Hatcher.) When asked if there’s a variant he’s like to be, Cumberbatch responded, “I guess one that’s less busy, maybe… I might be that variant very soon, which is nice – taking a bit of a break.” See below for the confirmed Marvel Cinematic Universe movies set to premiere after Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
- Thor: Love and Thunder – July 8, 2022
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – November 11, 2022
- Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania – February 17, 2023
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 – May 5, 2023
- The Marvels – July 28, 2023
- Fantastic Four – TBD
- Blade – TBD
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will be available to stream on Disney Plus between June 20 and July 14, 2022. Here’s how to watch it for free.
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