Credit: HBOA prominent Game of Thrones franchise star has been offered one of the most anticipated upcoming roles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, according to multiple reports.
While so-called Marvel fatigue has been hitting the box office (and Rotten Tomatoes) rankings of the company recently, Marvel Studios still has a few big-name properties that it intends to roll out in the future and hopefully save its sagging reputation.
Of those, the most major is the X-Men, who are soon to be introduced one way or another in Ryan Reynolds’ upcoming Deadpool 3, featuring Hugh Jackman reprising the role of Wolverine (in the worst suit imaginable).
Related: MCU Has Its New Fantastic Four
However, the next most important is Marvel’s First Family, the Fantastic Four. The casting rumors about Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm have been raging for quite some time, and a new name has been added to the list.
‘House of the Dragon’ Meets Marvel
Persistent rumors (originating with DanielRPK) indicate that Matt Smith, former Doctor Who and current star of HBO’s House of the Dragon, has been offered the role of Reed Richards, aka Mr Fantastic, the smartest man in the Marvel universe and leader of the Fantastic Four.
Matt Smith was the latest actor who received an offer to play Reed Richards in Matt Shakman’s FANTASTIC FOUR prior to the justified strikes taking place in Hollywood
(Source: DanielRPK) pic.twitter.com/9A5lFKNaBM
— Marvel Focus (@TheMarvelFocus) August 1, 2023
Until recently, Adam Driver was the heavily rumored first pick to portray Reed Richards but is reported to have refused the role. Given that he already spent half a decade in the Star Wars sequel series, it is understandable that he might not be eager to dive back into a Disney-owned franchise.
Matt Smith: Space Scientist
Matt Smith is likely most famous for his role as the Eleventh Doctor in the BBC’s long-running Doctor Who series, in which he portrayed that incarnation of the Time Lord as relatively warm and humanistic compared to some others.
However, in more recent years, Matt Smith has specialized in more sinister roles like the incestuous, murderous Daemon Targaryen in House of the Dragon, an arrogant, aristocratic pseudo-vampire in Morbius (2022), and a creepy 1960s pimp in Last Night in Soho (2021).
On the other hand, Reed Richards has largely been portrayed as a father figure for the universe of Marvel Comics as a whole, if a somewhat cerebral and detached one at times. Maybe Matt Smith will be able to switch gears back to Doctor Who mode, but we shall just have to see if he accepts the role.
‘Fantastic Four’ Still Years Away
Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige announced that a Fantastic Four movie set in the MCU was in development all the way back in 2019 and is still not scheduled for release until 2025. Clearly, Marvel is taking its time in making sure it tries to get this one done right.
Related: ‘Fantastic Four’ Villains Reportedly Revealed
We’ll just have to see if Matt Smith has what it takes to be the smartest man in the world.
Is Matt Smith right for Reed Richards or do you have someone else in mind? Let us know in the comments!