Is Marvel’s ‘Fantastic Four’ Reboot Actually in Trouble?

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John Krasinski as Reed Richards

Credit: Marvel Studios

Word is spreading that Marvel’s upcoming reboot of Fantastic Four is in trouble – but just how true are those rumors?

First announced by Kevin Feige in 2019, the superhero spectacular has been in the works for a long time. Since its initial announcement, it’s undergone several director changes and countless casting rumors, not to mention three supposed release dates.

The cast of 'Fantastic Four'
Credit: 20th Century Studios

Related: See First Look at Pedro Pascal in ‘Fantastic Four’

Yesterday, news broke that the film is apparently undergoing yet another rewrite. According to industry insider Daniel RPK, new writers have been recruited to produce new scripts within the next month or so, taking over from previous writers Jeff Kaplan and Ian Springer, and Josh Friedman.

If true, that makes it (to our knowledge) the third major rewrite so far –which some fans have taken as a sign that the production is doomed. “This movie is cooked,” one user wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter). “It’s been almost 5 years since it was announced and we dont even have an official cast or a finished script.” Another claimed, “The film is never going to be made lol.”

reed richards fantastic four marvel
Credit: Marvel Comics

But while Marvel has admittedly announced then canceled films in the past (RIP Inhumans), the odds of Fantastic Four joining the ranks is slim.

The MCU has been teasing the film for years, from the appearance of a multiversal Mister Fantastic played by John Krasinski in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) to easter eggs in the credits of She-Hulk. It’s clear that Feige and co. have big things planned for the first family of the Marvel Universe (as they should).

john krasinski as reed richards
Credit: Marvel Studios

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Then there’s the fact that we’re (slowly) approaching Avengers: Secret Wars (2027). While there’s always the chance that Marvel Studios could rework the story enough to eliminate the Fantastic Four, the characters played a huge role in the comic book arc. It’s hard to imagine them changing it enough to cut them out completely, especially considering the fact that Doctor Doom – an antagonist most commonly associated with Fantastic Four – has been rumored to step into the villain role for the film.

While it’s easy to panic over negative headlines, the reality is that nothing reported about the development of Fantastic Four is particularly unusual. Marvel announced the film in the earliest of development stages, which the majority of studios do not do. That means we’ve been privy to all the usual bumps along the way.

Kevin Feige ready to snap his fingers at a convention
Credit: Gage Skidmore via Wikimedia Commons

Sure, Fantastic Four may not meet its current release slot of May 2025. In fact, we’d be amazed if it did. We are yet to get a confirmed cast list for the film, despite heavy rumors that Pedro Pascal will take over the role of Reed Richards and the fact that the film will (supposedly) start filming this summer in London. However, if we’re confident in one thing, it’s that one day – whether it’s next year or five years away – we’ll see Mister Fantastic, the Invisible Woman, the Human Torch, and The Thing take their rightful place in the MCU.

Are you excited for Fantastic Four? Let us know in the comments!

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