Pedro Pascal hits back at At Marvel fans questioning his 'Fantastic Four' casting at 50

Highlights:

• Pedro Pascal is cast as Reed Richards in Fantastic Four: First Steps, making him the oldest actor to play the role.
• Some Marvel fans criticised his age, claiming he’s too old to portray the superhero.
• Pascal responded at a London fan event, saying the negativity "comes with the territory."
• The Marvel reboot releases in cinemas on 25 July 2025 and features Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Julia Garner.

Pedro Pascal is brushing off the online criticism surrounding his casting as Reed Richards in Fantastic Four: First Steps, saying he’s focused on meeting fan expectations, even if some think he’s too old for the role. The 50-year-old The Last of Us star, who will soon join the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the stretchy genius Mister Fantastic, addressed the backlash at a fan event in London. Many social media users had argued that Pascal was miscast due to his age, but the actor says he’s learned to take the criticism in stride.

  Pedro Pascal addresses fan backlash over playing Reed Richards at 50Getty Images

Pedro Pascal responds to ‘too old’ remarks

During a media interaction, Pascal admitted the negativity around his casting had affected him more than usual. “Sometimes the outside will find you no matter how much you try to protect yourself from it,” he said. “It just comes with the territory.” He added that his heightened nerves were likely tied to the legacy and love fans have for the character. “These stories only exist because of how much people care about them, and I felt that responsibility more than usual.”

Despite the noise online, Pascal emphasised that he’s putting everything he has into the role. “The only way to meet expectations is to give it all my focus, all my heart, my body, and my soul. That’s what I’ve done.”

Marvel’s new take on the First Family

Directed by Matt Shakman (WandaVision), Fantastic Four: First Steps will reintroduce Marvel’s First Family in a retro-futuristic 1960s-inspired universe. The film is separate from previous versions and aims to establish a new corner of the MCU. Pascal’s co-stars include Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm. Julia Garner will portray the Silver Surfer, while Ralph Ineson plays Galactus. Robert Downey Jr. is expected to return as Doctor Doom in later instalments.

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Previous actors and comparisons

Pascal follows in the footsteps of Ioan Gruffudd, Miles Teller, and John Krasinski, who all played Reed Richards in earlier Fantastic Four adaptations. At 50, Pascal is the oldest to take on the role. Gruffudd was 31, Teller 28, and Krasinski 42 during their respective stints.

Some fans have pointed out that in the original Marvel comics, Reed Richards was in his mid-30s when he gained his powers, while Sue and Johnny Storm were in their 20s and teens. However, the upcoming film doesn’t strictly follow those age references, and the entire main cast is older than their comic counterparts.

Still, Marvel seems to be aiming for emotional depth and performance over precise comic book accuracy, a trend that’s become more common in recent adaptations.

A role unlike any other

Despite his success in The Mandalorian, Game of Thrones, and The Last of Us, Pascal said that playing Mister Fantastic feels uniquely demanding and exciting. “This is the best time of my life,” he told fans at the event. “I’m having an amazing time, and I hope that comes through in the film.”