The Fantastic Four movie is finally taking shape after years of speculation surrounding the highly-anticipated film. Earlier this month, Kevin Feige announced Matt Shakman as the director for the upcoming movie during the Marvel Studios panel at the D23 Expo. Shakman's credits include a ton of work in the television realm, such as The Boys, Game of Thrones, and WandaVision, where he was the lone director. According to a report from Deadline, Fantastic Four is adding their writers to the list, with Jeff Kaplan and Ian Springer joining the team.
Deadline says the duo has been involved with the film for at least a few months before Shakman was even attached to the project. During this time, Kaplan and Springer have been outlining where the film will fit into the broader Marvel Cinematic Universe, and specifically its place in the current Multiverse Saga. Fantastic Four is slated to arrive on Nov 8. 2024, launching Phase 6 of the MCU. The movie will undoubtedly be important, as Avengers: The Kang Dynasty comes six months later on May 2, 2025, and Avengers: Secret Wars six months after that. Deadline says Kaplan, Springer, Shakman, and Kevin Feige are set to convene and share their visions for the project, ultimately determining the direction the Fantastic Four film will go.
The duo only have a few writing credits to their name, including Bert and Arnie's Guide to Friendship, The Last of the Romantics, and the upcoming Disaster Wedding. However, Fantastic Four will be the screenwriters' biggest project date, and fans are hoping Jeff Kaplan and Ian Springer can pull it off when the film arrives in 2024.
Who Can Fans Expect to See in Fantastic Four?
Despite the official casting being far from finished, Marvel fans have wasted no time expressing who they believe should be the Fantastic Four stars. One such name is Penn Badgley, the star of the Netflix series You. He would take over the role of Reed Richards, whom we've previously seen portrayed in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. In the film, John Krasinski plays the leader of the Fantastic Four team, although the Scarlet Witch quickly eliminates him. However, he's not expected to return to the role, or at least not in the main Earth-616 timeline that the MCU runs on.
Fans have also asked for Jodie Comer, star of Killing Eve, to play Sue Storm in the upcoming film. There were several rumors surrounding a possible announcement at D23, unfortunately, they didn't pan out. However, her involvement in Fantastic Four could still be true despite no official word. In addition, Bryce Dallas Howard, Cillian Murphy, and Giancarlo Esposito have all been mentioned for roles in the film as the Invisible Woman and Dr. Doom.
Feige, Shakman, Kaplan, and Springer are currently searching for the talent that will make up the Fantastic Four team, and fans are eager to know the final choices. However, the crew will undoubtedly take their time, as the members could be the leaders of the Marvel Cinematic Universe following their debut. Stay tuned for more news regarding Fantastic Four as we inch ever closer to the 2024 release date.