Pedro Pascal, 50, is officially Marvel’s new Mister Fantastic â but not without a few doubters. When Marvel announced “Fantastic Four: First Steps” would hit theaters on Valentine’s Day 2024, some fans voiced concern over Pascal’s age, claiming he was “too old” to play Reed Richards.
(Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)Now, the actor is breaking his silence and sharing why this backlash hit harder than usual.
Pedro Pascal Admits Fantastic Four Backlash Hit Harder Than Expected
(Photo by Joe Maher/Getty Images)Speaking at a fan event in London, Pascal told AP News that despite usually brushing off criticism, the response to this role struck a nerve.
“I think that sometimes the outside will find you no matter how much you try to protect yourself from it, and it just comes with the territory,” he said. “Maybe my nerves were bigger than they usually are… I just was a little bit more sensitive to the love that people have for stories like this.”
He acknowledged the weight of fan expectations and the legacy of the character.
“It’s very important for me that expectations be fulfilled… but I also know that the only way to do that is to give it all my focus and all my heart and my body and my soul. And so that was the best I could do.”
A Role That Comes With Legacy and Pressure
(Photo by Lia Toby/Getty Images)Pascal becomes the third actor to take on the role of Reed Richards, following Ioan Gruffudd, Miles Teller, and a brief multiverse cameo by John Krasinski in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022).
But “Fantastic Four: First Steps” is no small project â it marks Marvel’s latest attempt to revitalize the franchise after the 2015 reboot fell flat. Pascal admitted the pressure is real. “It was really intimidating,” he told Entertainment Weekly. He added:
“Each time â Game of Thrones, Narcos, Star Wars, The Last of Us â I’ve felt like I couldn’t top how intimidating the last one was.”
How Pedro Balances Fan Expectations With Authenticity
(Photo by Toya Sarno Jordan/Getty Images for Disney)As with many of his iconic roles, Pascal said he relies on the people around him to keep grounded. “You want those expectations to be met. You also want to be authentic to yourself so that it can be the best that it can be for anybody who wants to be entertained by a story and travel with us into this world.”
He’s ready to give fans his all, age debates aside.
Inside the Fantastic Four Casting Process
According to director Matt Shakman, casting this iteration of Marvel’s First Family was no easy task. “It wasn’t just a search for who was the best Ben and who was the best Johnny,” he told EW. “It was also: who was the best family? Who were the best siblings? The best married couple? The best honorary uncle?”
Pascal will star as Reed Richards opposite Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm (“Invisible Woman”), Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm (“Human Torch”), and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm (“The Thing”).
With high expectations, a fresh cast, and Pascal leading the way, Marvel is betting big on a new era for the “Fantastic Four,” and Pascal is meeting the challenge with all his heart.
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