Adam Driver As The MCU's Reed Richards Is Actually Terrible
A fresh piece of Marvel Cinematic Universe casting news is always a full meal for the fans. However, this particular information nugget is best enjoyed with a pinch of salt, because we're about to address the potential casting of one of the biggest remaining comic book players outside the MCU, Reed Richards — but what we now delve into is purely at rumor stage at the moment.
According to a new report by entertainment industry writer Daniel Richtman, Adam Driver is very close to a deal for the role of the Fantastic Four leader. Since Richtman is known as a fairly reliable scoop man, the news is obviously making waves. But should it really? While there's no denying that Driver is an extremely capable actor, he's a far cry from the MCU's usual modus operandi of recruiting comparatively little-known names, rising stars, and tried-and-tested character actors. Sure, there have been exceptions — take Benedict Cumberbatch, who was already massive when he started playing Doctor Strange — but there are other reasons why Driver's not a great choice for the MCU's Reed Richards.
It's too early for another major franchise role for Driver
If you like watching huge blockbuster movies and hear the name Adam Driver, what's your first mental image? It's Kylo Ren, isn't it? The conflicted villain of the latest "Star Wars" trilogy has been an instrumental part of the franchise for years now, and his final movie came out in 2019. Any way you play it, it's way too early for Driver to take on a new high-profile franchise role like that at the moment. Sure, even if he's announced as Reed Richards tomorrow, the MCU take on "Fantastic Four" isn't set to drop until 2025 ... but is even that enough time to forget Kylo?
Sure, there are actors who have been able to move freely between huge blockbusters, but Driver has a very specific, manic energy, and — the whole stretching thing aside — his Reed Richards would visually be just Kylo Ren in spandex, a different haircut, and maybe a small beard. Again, he's a good actor, and he'd no doubt make it work. But out of every single available actor out there, why go with the megastar who's best known for the House of Mouse's other mega-franchise, and subject your perfectly good "Fantastic Four" movie to an onslaught of "When will Reed invent the lightsaber" jokes?
Besides, Driver is at his best in smaller movies and stranger roles. His unique vocal delivery and severe, yet charming acting style are at their best in movies like "Marriage Story," "Annette," and "While We're Young." There's no way he'd get to use his full palette in the MCU, and locking him in one of the biggest, most labor-intensive roles in the movie universe would be time away from turning in stellar offbeat performances in other films.
The MCU already has a perfect Reed Richards
Despite his penchant for appearing in smaller movies, Adam Driver is drawn to big sci-fi films, so the prospect of an MCU contract might very well be alluring to the actor. This may or may not move the rumor's likelihood a notch toward believability, but even if he does end up taking the role, we shouldn't forget the fact that the MCU already had a perfectly good — no, great — Reed Richards at its disposal.
We're talking, of course, about John Krasinski, whose alternate-universe Reed put up a short and not-so-sweet appearance during the Illuminati's doomed confrontation with the Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) in "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness." Krasinski's appearance as Reed was a popular "Doctor Strange" fan theory before the movie came out, and the actor's portrayal of the superhero scientist fit the comic book Reed's preoccupied, ever-so-slightly arrogant demeanor to a tee. As such, it would be surprising if discussions of casting Krasinski in the role for good wouldn't have been on the table at least at some point.
Funnily enough, fans have also been clamoring for Krasinski to direct an MCU "Fantastic Four" movie, so there's always a potential plan B for him in case the "Krasinski as the main MCU Reed Richards" plan doesn't pan out — or if it was never even on the table.