Warning: This post contains MAJOR spoilers for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.,John Krasinski’s
Mister Fantastic is a fan-casting dream come true, but unfortunately, according to many, its execution just did not work. Sam Raimi’s
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness may not be as much of a trip down memory lane as
Spider-Man: No Way Home, but it packs enough multiversal chaos, cameos, and superhero-centric action to keep viewers white-knuckled throughout its hefty runtime. More than anything else, though, it is Raimi’s signature horror elements that inject a tinge of distinctiveness to the film and allow it to stand out among the vast array of superhero movies that are out there. Unfortunately, that horror didn’t work in the case of Mister Fantastic and the rest of the Illuminati.,In the multiversal mayhem of
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, there is one pivotal arc in which America Chavez and Doctor Strange end up on Earth-838. Shortly thereafter, the film introduces the highly anticipated superhero group: the Illuminati. In its initial moments, the Illuminati’s introduction to the franchise perfectly befits
Doctor Strange 2‘s multiverse setup and promises that the group’s members — Mordo, Peggy Carter, Blackagar Boltagon, Maria Rambeau, Reed Richards, and Charles Xavier — are a force to be reckoned with. Their history of ruthlessly eradicating Earth-838’s Strange suggests they may even be stronger than Earth-616’s Avengers. However, as the Earth-838 arc gradually unfolds and Wanda enters the picture, it becomes evident that they aren’t quite the formidable team initially imagined, and that includes John Krasinski’s Mister Fantastic.,RELATED: Doctor Strange’s Illuminati Members Explained: New Origins, Actors & Powers,For a character often touted as the ”
smartest man alive,” Reed Richards seemingly makes a silly mistake by revealing Black Bolt’s powers to Scarlet Witch. What follows is one of the most one-sided battles in the history of cinema, where Wanda has no qualms about using her abilities and mercilessly destroying the Illuminati one hero at a time. The bizarre showdown and Reed Richard’s unreasonable revelation have garnered mixed reactions from audiences, but in the wake of MCU’s
Fantastic Four rumors, audiences are now more inclined to doubt future casting of John Krasinski as Mister Fantastic, for a few reasons.,In
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ audio commentary, Sam Raimi discloses the reason behind casting John Krasinski as Mister Fantastic by saying: “
fans had a dream of who the perfect Reed Richards would be.” To make this dream a reality, Kevin Feige went ahead with casting John Krasinski because of how often he was cast in internet polls and articles as Mister Fantastic. This revelation about Krasinski’s brief Fantastic 4 role has disappointed those supporters as it indicates that he was nothing more than pure unfiltered fan service in the movie.,Krasinski’s Mr. Fantastic comes off as wasted potential in
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. One moment he is being labeled as ”
the smartest man alive” and the next, he mindlessly gives away the details of Black Bolt’s abilities. Due to his limited screen time and, consequently, lack of character development, his blunder becomes the highlight of his storyline. Without giving a glimpse of his genius, the movie jumps to his terrible miscalculation of Scarlet Witch’s powers, which makes him seem out of character. Hence, although John Krasinski does an incredible job despite the brevity of his role, he fails to make up for Mr. Fantastic’s offbeat portrayal in the movie. This explains why a number of viewers believe John Krasinski’s cameo and performance are not plausible and that casting him was a big mistake.,Others appreciate John Krasinski’s cameo and performance but are let down by the fact that his version of Mister Fantastic was used as a mere ploy to display Wanda’s prowess. After Wanda turns Mr. Fantastic into human spaghetti, it becomes evident that Krasinski’s superhero no longer exists on Earth-838. However, considering the plethora of possibilities in the multiverse,
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness leaves Krasinski fans with the hope that he may reprise the same role in the future. Unfortunately, Raimi’s statement near confirms that John Krasinski was cast only as a nod to fans. Therefore, to the disappointment of many, it is very likely that he will not be a part of MCU’s
Fantastic Four.,RELATED: Everything We Know About Doctor Strange 3,Sam Raimi’s announcement suggests Krasinski’s casting as Reed Richards is only a one-off cameo. Even from a storyline standpoint, Krasinski’s Mr. Fantastic from Earth-838 cannot possibly return, considering that Wanda has already killed him. Not to mention, the MCU Phase 4 is already pretty complex with its multiple universes and multiple variants of the same character. Recasting John Krasinski as a different universe’s Reed Richards could further complicate MCU’s multiversal storylines and even cause a whole lot of confusion. The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase 4 might still drop a bombshell and re-introduce John Krasinski’s
Mister Fantastic from the blue, but for now, the odds of him reprising the role seem quite low.,MORE: Do The X-Men Exist In The Avengers Universe After Doctor Strange 2?