Pedro Pascal has been one of the most prominent names in Hollywood, appearing in shows like The Last of Us and The Mandalorian. And for some time, rumors have swirled that Pascal would lead Marvel’s Fantastic Four as the stretchy super-genius Reed Richards aka Mister Fantastic. Now those rumors have finally been confirmed. But who is this comic book character?
Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in The Fantastic Four #1, Reed Richards was the genius scientist who, alongside his girlfriend, Sue Storm, her brother Johnny and Reed’s best friend Ben Grimm, traveled to space. While on the journey, they were bombarded by cosmic rays that gave each of them unique powers.
Reed’s ability was to stretch his body in ways that turned him into a human rubber band. But as the years progressed, it was clear that the real superpower was his vast intelligence. Reed has remained one of the smartest minds in the Marvel Universe and was a pioneer of interdimensional travel in the comics. As a result, his role in the MCU could be the most important yet.
In the comics, Reed married Sue, which may already be established in the MCU, according to the recent reveal. But while balancing home life, he also studied multiversal incursions, which led to the comics event Secret Wars. Since Avengers: Secret Wars may set up a similar story, it’s possible that Reed’s presence could be the key to saving a select few from the world-ending incursions.
In addition, Pascal isn’t the first actor to portray Reed Richards on screen. He was played by Alex Hyde-White in the 1994 The Fantastic Four film, Ioan Gruffudd in another set of Fantastic Four movies in 2005 and 2007, Miles Teller in the 2015 film Fantastic Four, and by John Krasinski in the 2022 MCU film Doctor Stranger in the Multiverse of Madness.
While Pascal has proven his range as an actor, being Reed Richards could allow him to tap into his happy-go-lucky side while balancing a genius within. On top of that, he could be the key to saving the MCU from even greater threats. With the future uncertain, one thing is clear: Pedro Pascal’s skill could stretch Reed Richards to new heights for the character.