Highlights
- New concept art reveals rejected designs for John Krasinski's Reed Richards/Fantastic Four suit in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
- These designs take more inspiration from the comics and differ in accent color and shade, showcasing different possibilities for a Fantastic Four film.
- Despite the interest and enthusiasm for Krasinski's portrayal, rumors suggest Adam Driver may be cast as Reed Richards in the Fantastic Four reboot for the MCU.
New Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness concept shows off a variety of rejected looks for John Krasinski's Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness follows Strange as he struggles to protect America Chavez, a teenager with the ability to traverse the Multiverse, from the Scarlet Witch, whose traumatic loss of her “children” from WandaVision and the influence of the Darkhold spur her to capture and take control of Chavez. The film was released in 2022 to expected success and delivered some of the best Marvel movie moments of the year.
One such moment was the appearance of Krasinski as the Fantastic Four's Reed Richards, a role that he’d enthusiastically displayed interest in after massive fan speculation leading up to his casting as the iconic character. While his Doctor Strange 2 appearance was brief, fans who appreciated the live-action rendition recently got a treat from The Direct, which uncovered and posted five never-before-seen concepts for Reed's Fantastic Four suit that were turned down. Taking significantly more inspiration from the comics' appearances than the final product, all five designs share a similar throughline with variances in accent color and shade marking the major difference in all but one, which shows some design ideas that went into the more modern version of the suit seen in the film.
With the MCU's massive success and the sheer amount of fan attention surrounding the franchise, it’s always a treat for the audience when they glimpse the process behind the scenes. While none of these designs ultimately made it into the film, any one of them could work for the Fantastic Four reboot, especially if the project serves as an origin story that might sit a bit further back in the timeline and necessitate a deviation from the more modern look fans get in the Doctor Strange 2 cameo. What’s certain is that each concept design looks dashing in the renditions of the actor, though Krasinski admitted he’s unlikely to return as Mr. Fantastic.
While Krasinski is a good fit for the role in any costume, the most recent rumors surrounding the role point to the Fantastic Four reboot casting Adam Driver as Reed Richards for the MCU. While this hasn’t been confirmed, insiders support this casting news. If Driver does get the role, there probably won’t be much resistance to the casting from MCU fans, who are also likely fans of the Star Wars sequel trilogy, where Driver delivered his iconic performance as Kylo Ren.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is now available for streaming on Disney Plus.
Source: Marvel Studios' Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness: The Art of the Movie (via The Direct)