Pedro Pascal Acknowledges 'Disgruntlement' Over His Casting as Reed Richards in The Fantastic Four

Pedro Pascal has openly acknowledged the wave of criticism surrounding his casting as Reed Richards in the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe film The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Despite the backlash, the 50-year-old actor revealed he’s found reassurance in an unexpected place—Robert Downey Jr., who returns to the MCU as Doctor Doom and will star alongside Pascal in Avengers: Doomsday in 2026.

Pascal is set to make his highly anticipated MCU debut this July, stepping into one of Marvel’s most iconic roles. With The Fantastic Four expected to be one of the biggest films of 2025, expectations are sky-high—especially after a mixed reception to this year’s other MCU releases, Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts*.

In a recent Vanity Fair profile, Pascal admitted he’s more attuned to the “disgruntlement” surrounding this casting than any other role in his career—even more than his breakout performances as Joel in HBO’s The Last of Us, Oberyn Martell in Game of Thrones, or Din Djarin in The Mandalorian.

“I’m getting an inkling of excitement because it seems to reflect what our common goal was, and what we want to share, which is all of our f***ing hearts on a platter within this genre,” Pascal shared. “You just never know if people are going to be disgusted by your heart or not.”

He went on to address the backlash directly: “I’m more aware of disgruntlement around my casting than anything I’ve ever done. ‘He’s too old. He’s not right. He needs to shave.’”

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Since Pascal was first announced as Reed Richards, fans have debated whether he fits the traditional image of Mister Fantastic. While some have focused on his moustache, others argue that appearances don’t define a performance—and remind critics that we’ve only seen brief glimpses of Pascal in action.

Still, Pascal finds comfort in the support of Robert Downey Jr., whose return to the MCU has generated massive buzz. Though Pascal remained tight-lipped about Avengers: Doomsday, he praised Downey Jr.’s presence on set. “He’s just so immediately generous and inviting that you feel like you can be afraid, you can be hungry, you can be ambivalent,” Pascal said.

Marvel Studios appears confident in this new chapter. Reports suggest that even before The Fantastic Four: First Steps hits theaters, plans for a sequel are already in motion—proof that, regardless of online chatter, the studio is betting big on this new iteration.