With some of the biggest names in the MCU having left, there are plenty of new faces joining the superhero roster in the future. It is exciting to see heroes like Shang-Chi and Moon Knight getting to step into the spotlight as characters fans might not be familiar with. However, some of the most anticipated additions to the MCU are the first family of Marvel, the Fantastic Four.
Fans have been left disappointed with the big-screen treatment of the Fantastic Four up to this point, but with Marvel regaining the rights to the characters, there is now hope that they will finally do justice to this iconic team. Jon Watts (Spider-Man: Homecoming) has already been attached to write the movie and there has been constant buzz about the casting. One of the most essential roles to make the movie work is the leader of the team, Reed Richards aka Mr. Fantastic. Reed is a brilliant scientist and noble hero who feels a deep responsibility to the others once they are transformed into these superheroes. The role will need someone who can play the selfless hero with a lot of heart, an intellectual side, and a spark of humor.
John Krasinski
Whenever the casting of Reed Richard is brought up, John Krasinski's name inevitably climbs to the top of the list. He is a fan-favorite for the role and it is not hard to see why. Krasinski's role in A Quiet Place as the determined and caring father is a perfect example of what he could bring to a role like this. He is completely believable as the head of a family who is willing to do anything to keep his loved ones protected. He also has the heroics covered thanks to his starring in Jack Ryan where he gets to display his action star chops that are quite impressive.
Of course, most fans first came to know about Krasinski thanks to his star-making role as Jim Halpert on The Office. That kind of sarcastic, endearing, and charming humor is just the kind of thing Marvel looks for with their leads. Along with the fan support for him in the role, Krasinski seems enthusiastic about the prospect of leading this franchise. With so much talk about him in the role, it might start to feel like too obvious of a choice, but there's no denying it would be a good fit.
William Jackson Harper
William Jackson Harper is another sitcom actor whose comedic talents seem ideal for the MCU. He was one of the stars of the excellent The Good Place in which he played the brilliant yet indecisive Chidi. This serves as a great role to show not only that Harper can bring that signature Marvel humor to the role of Reed Richards, but Chidi is also a fairly similar character to Reed. They are both intelligent men who very much want to help people and he cares a lot about those who are close to him. But even though he is a superhero, Reed can sometimes be bumbling, awkward, and get caught up in his work just as Chidi does.
There are also times in Marvel comics when Reed makes questionable decisions in his work. Harper also played this darker and selfish intellectual character in the creepy horror movie Midsommar. It would be interesting to see Harper embrace the endearing aspect of Reed while also exploring his occasionally reckless nature as well.
Logan Marshall-Green
Logan Marshall-Green has actually already appeared in the MCU as one of Vulture's henchmen who becomes Shocker in Spider-Man: Homecoming. However, with actors like Gemma Chan and Michelle Yeoh, the MCU seems to be willing to allow actors in smaller roles to return later as more substantial characters. Along with some supporting roles in big blockbusters, Marshall-Green has also starred in a number of smaller yet excellent thrillers like The Invitation. However, it is his role in the horror-action movie Upgrade that suggests he could be a very interesting Reed Richards.
Marshall-Green stars as a man who is paralyzed and his wife killed in an attack. He then uses an experimental A.I. system that allows him to walk in order to find the people responsible. Though it is a dark movie, Marshall-Green is able to add some humor to his performance. He seems to excel at bringing a grounded energy to genre movies. The Upgrade role also allows him to play an unsure action hero which is a lot of fun and could be a fun take for Reed Richards. Though he is not a huge star, Kevin Feige has said his casting process involves looking at some lesser-known actors.
John Cho
John Cho was mostly known for his supporting roles in bigger projects, such as playing Sulu in the Star Trek movies. He always brought a lot of heart and heroism to those smaller roles, but recently he has been stepping into more leading man roles and proving himself to be very effective carrying a movie. Along with headlining the upcoming Cowboy Bebop adaptation, Cho really shined in the underrated and excellent mystery thriller, Searching. The movie pulled off an interesting concept of being told entirely on various phone and computer screens. Cho plays a father desperately searching for his missing daughter. He is fantastic as the loving family man who becomes a grounded yet inspiring hero who wants only for his family to be safe. Seeing Cho bring that same take on Reed Richards could make him a really endearing Marvel hero.
Bill Hader
Anyone who has watches Bill Hader on Saturday Night Live can see what a gifted comedic actor he is. He has an ability to play the over-the-top characters as well as the more grounded ones and being equally effective at both. While this was put to good use on the sketch comedy show, Hader is now showing even more range on his excellent Emmy-winning series, Barry. Hader plays a hitman who begins pursuing a career as an actor in the dark comedy. Hader is both hilarious as the insecure man entering a new world and cold-blooded as the very efficient killer.
Though the show is much grimmer than anything the MCU would do, Hader's unique talents feel like they would be a fun and exciting fit in the world of superheroes. It's easy to picture him as the obsessive intellect, the caring leader, and someone who has to learn to be a hero.