Pedro Pascal, who will be seen stepping into the role of Reed Richards aka Mr. Fantastic in Marvel Studios' The Fantastic Four: First Steps, recently opened up about how the film dramatically impacted his life.
Talking about his casting in the upcoming MCU installment, he shared, "It was a big strange thing that I hadn't planned on happening. It changed the course of my life in a very sudden way, so I really had to process."
The film is being helmed by Matt Shakman, who revealed that this version of the Fantastic Four won't be rooted in traditional history.
Instead, the story is set in a reimagined alternate Earth within the Marvel multiverse - one with a retro-futuristic 1960s twist.
Explaining the concept further, Shakman said, "We knew that we'd be on another Earth, so we had a chance to reinvent what the '60s looked like. I was really interested in imagining the Fantastic Four being astronauts. Instead of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin going to the moon, what if it was Reed, Sue, Johnny, and Ben who were really the first to go into outer space, the first to push those boundaries?"
While the unique setting and visuals promise to offer something fresh, Shakman added that finding the right cast was key. "Casting was the number one challenge for the film," he said. "It wasn't just a search for who was the best Ben and who was the best Johnny, but also who was the best family? Who was the best married couple? Who were the best siblings and honorary uncle? So it's been very gratifying to see the incredible chemistry that the four of them have had since the beginning."
Produced by Kevin Feige, the film's music will be composed by Oscar-winner Michael Giacchino. The Fantastic Four: First Steps is set to release in theatres on July 25, 2025.
