See Penn Badgley As Fantastic Four’s Reed Richards
Penn Badgley has been turning heads since portraying Joe Goldberg in You, and now some fan art has transformed the man into Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four.
With Disney’s D23 Expo just right around the corner, talks of the Fantastic Four have only grown online. Recent rumors suggest that the star of Netflix’s You, Penn Badgley, is cast as Mr. Fantastic. While no confirmation has yet to be given from either Disney or Marvel, this didn’t stop legendary fan artist Bosslogic from conjuring up a mock-up of Badgley as the famed Marvel character. The artist took to social media to share what Badgley could look like as the Fantastic Four’s resident scientist. The mock-up shows Badgley wearing the team’s iconic blue and white suit and rocking Reed Richard’s signature grey hair around the temples.
During the Marvel presentation at Comic-Con, Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige revealed that Fantastic Four would hit theaters in November 2024. It will be the film to kick off phase 6, which will include two Avengers films in 2025. When discussing Marvel’s first family, Feige said last year that the cast would consist of a blend of new and familiar faces. So far, the only Fantastic Four character to appear in the MCU was, oddly enough, Reed Richards. The character was played by John Krasinski, who fans have wanted to see cast as Richards for a long time. Krasinski appeared in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness for a brief scene and was killed by Wanda Maximoff. It’s still unknown whether the Reed Richards in Doctor Strange was the actual character fans will see in future projects. However, rumors of Penn Badgley may suggest Marvel wants to go in an unexpected direction for the character.
So how did the rumors of Penn Badgley as Mr. Fantastic start? According to The Direct, former “Birth. Movies. Death” editor-in-chief Devin Faraci suggested the actor’s name was floated about in conversations at Marvel Studios. Faraci has since clarified that he heard Badgley’s involvement in the project from a Reddit rumor, so take the rumor with a massive grain of salt. When speaking about what version of Mr. Fantastic the MCU will depict, Faraci mentioned that he believes the studio will go in the traditional route. Some fans have speculated whether the MCU will race to bend the character. This led to Faraci bringing up actor John David Washington’s name as a possible candidate.
Regarding Penn Badgley, the actor would fit what Feige stated last year about having a blend of new and familiar faces. The key is to include a recognizable name that works well with an actor like Badgley. The 35-year-old has a similar level of fame as when Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, and other known stars began their tenure in the MCU. Badgley is most known for his role in Gossip Girl and You and has yet to appear in a major film franchise. If Badgley is cast as Mr. Fantastic, it would depend on who the folks at Marvel cast as the other three team members. Recently, Gotham star Drew Bowell suggested that he could play Ben Grim/The Thing.
Whether or not Penn Badgley is cast as Mr. Fantastic remains to be seen. As of now, all the attention is now on how the Fantastic Four will be introduced in the MCU. WandaVision director Matt Shakman is reportedly in talks to helm the project. With D23 coming next month, fans are chopping at the bit to finally see who the face of Marvel’s first family will be. Their part in the MCU will undoubtedly be important as the franchise is moving towards Secret Wars.
