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After months of speculation about who might play Reed Richards aka Mr. Fantastic in Marvel Studios’ highly anticipated Fantastic Four film, the wait may finally be over. While a deal is far from finalized, sources tell Deadline that three-time Emmy nominee Pedro Pascal is in talks to play the role of the legendary superhero team’s leader. Insiders add that the schedule is still being worked out, but several sources close to the negotiations say that it is moving in the right direction for Pascal to carry out this and his other future projects. Pascal has a full dance slate that includes Gladiator 2, which is expected to go into production before the end of the year, as well as his popular HBO series The Last Of Us, which is expected to begin filming next year.
Marvel had no comment.
As for the other team members, that can now be clarified as it was important to find out who would play Richards before making offers to other team members. The hope is to start filming early next year. So expect the cast to fill up quickly as director Matt Shakman is currently in pre-production at Pinewood Studios in England. Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios, will produce.
The three-time Emmy nominee has been on the rise in recent years, including his Emmy-nominated role in the hit HBO series “The Last of Us” (He was also nominated for hosting “Saturday Night Live,” one of the most popular episodes of “The Last of Us” last season). He also has Ridley Scott’s highly anticipated sequel to Gladiator.
He is represented by CAA.