Previous reports have indicated that cameras were set to begin rolling on Marvel Studios' Fantastic Four reboot around April, but it seems the production has been hit with a delay which could ultimately lead to the movie's May 2025 release date being pushed back.
cia: CBR
As reported by film scooper Jeff Sneider, Hollywood favorite Pedro Pascal has exited his role in the upcoming horror movie Weapons due to overlap with the filming of the new MCU Fantastic Four film. Weapons, the latest project from Barbarian director Zach Kregger, was previously described as "a multi and inter-related story horror epic that tonally is in the vein of Magnolia, the 1999 actor-crammed showcase from filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson." The film must now move forward without Pascal.
In a sort of double-edged sword, Pascal has risen to A-list star status, and the high level of demand means that some projects must be left behind, such as Weapons. In the past decade, Pascal has been busy acting in some of the biggest franchises on screen, including The Last of Us, The Mandalorian, and Game of Thrones. Pascal reportedly left Weapons due to scheduling conflicts between the horror flick and the MCU's upcoming Fantastic Four. Marvel originally aimed to film in the spring, but since it was pushed back, Pascal was forced to choose between the two.
Pascal has not been officially listed by Marvel as the next Reed Richards, but Hollywood trades have heavily suggested that he is posed to take the role, dispelling swirling rumors that Kylo Ren actor Adam Driver was ready to play the part. Prior to his attachment to the MCU, John Krasinski played Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, but according to the actor, was not contacted to reprise the role. The most likely reason for Krasinski's short MCU stint is that they simply wanted another actor for the part, but additionally, Kransinki would have scheduling conflicts of his own. With the ever-growing expanses of the multiverse, taking on a major role would likely require heavy time commitments for years to come.
As for official Pascal news, the actor will return to play Joel in the upcoming second season of The Last of Us alongside fellow Game of Thrones alumnus and co-star Bella Ramsey as Ellie. The next season will follow the events of the game's sequel, The Last of Us Part II. The story will introduce several new characters, with actors Kaitlyn Dever (No One Will Save You) and Young Mazino (Beef) already set to play new additions Abby and Jesse respectively.
The Last of Us season 2 and Fantastic Four will begin filming this year, and both are hoping for a 2025 release.
While I was hoping we'd get John Krasinski as Reed Richards (which we did get him briefly in the Doctor Stange sequel), I actually curious to see what Pedro will bring to the character.
It will be interesting to see how he'll fit all of these upcoming parts into his schedule, since he has a Mandalorian movie in the works as well as the second season of The Last of Us.
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