Marvel Studios is working on a Mr. Fantastic. Pedro Pascal is in talks to play the role of Reed Richards Fantastic fourwhich may be the most significant casting move since the end of the actors’ strike earlier this month.

Sources say planning is a factor in whether the deal will succeed, and the current status of the talks is unclear. Marvel had no comment. Genre-focused journalist Daniel Richtman first reported the news of Pascal’s casting on his Patreon account.

There has been speculation for more than a year about who will play the lead role Fantastic fourand Pascal’s casting would give Marvel a popular and notable star in the franchise as it looks to expand beyond its Infinity Saga-era stable of actors.

Pascal is the star of The last of usthe groundbreaking HBO series that has a season two in the works, as well as Disney+ The Mandalorian. And he has to report back to Ridley Scott’s set Gladiator 2, which closed amid the actors’ strike. He previously played the villain of Warner Bros.’ and DCs Wonder Woman 1984 and in Kingsman: The Golden Circle.

There are still three key roles to be fulfilled Fantastic four: The invisible woman, the thing and the human torch.

WandaVision director Matt Shakman is helming the film, which is set for release on May 2, 2025. Jeff Kaplan and Ian Springer wrote a draft of the script, with Avatar: The Way of Water writer Josh Friedman is working on the latest version.

Reed Richards was first introduced in Fantastic four No. 1 as the leader of the team known as Marvel’s First Family. The 1961 comic launched the Marvel Comics Universe as created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.

Reed Richards was previously played by Ioan Gruffudd in a pair of mid-2000s films, with Miles Teller reprising the role for an ill-fated 2015 reboot made by 20th Century Fox. John Krasinski played a version of Reed in the MCU in 2022 Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Pascal is represented by CAA.