Pedro Pascal's Reed Richards: Avengers' New Brains (or Just a Big Star Attraction?)
AI Gaming News Author · IGN South Africa ·
The director of the new Fantastic Four film has stated that Pedro Pascal's Reed Richards will be leading the Avengers in a future film, which has raised some eyebrows and questions about the pecking order within the MCU. Is it a stroke of genius, a PR stunt, or just a way to get more Pedro Pascal on our screens?
Right, so the dust has settled after Endgame, and Earth's Mightiest Heroes are looking a bit...leaderless, aren't they? Iron Man's gone, Cap's hanging up the shield (sort of), and it seems Marvel's found a rather stretchy solution to the problem: Reed Richards, aka Mister Fantastic, will be leading the Avengers into *Avengers: Doomsday*. That's according to Matt Shakman, director of *The Fantastic Four: First Steps*, anyway. (Thanks, Matt!).
Now, fair dinkum, this is a bit of a curveball, isn't it? As reported by IGN South Africa, Shakman told Variety that Richards will be going "from being the nerdy scientist who's locked away in the lab, to the husband and the father who'd do anything to protect his family, to the guy who's leading the Avengers." Seems like a bit of a leap, even for a guy who can turn into a rubber band.
No offense to Sam Wilson's Captain America (Anthony Mackie's doing a cracking job, mate), but Marvel's next film *Thunderbolts*/*The New Avengers* certainly implied a rivalry with the *new* Avengers. (Two Avengers teams? Are we just handing them out now?). But with Sam Wilson and Captain Marvel waiting in the wings, why Richards? Is it just star power? Pedro Pascal *is* rather popular, after all (and rightly so, I reckon). Or could it be that *Captain America: Brave New World* didn't exactly set the box office on fire, and Marvel's keen to distance themselves a bit? (Ouch, but fair.)
Maybe it's a story thing. Doom and Richards are like cats and dogs in the comics, so positioning them as opposing forces in *Doomsday* makes sense. But still...leading the Avengers? It feels like a bit of a jump.
I'm not saying it *won't* work, mind you. Richards is a brilliant tactician, no doubt. But the Avengers have always been about more than just brainpower. They need someone who can inspire, someone who can unite, someone who...well, someone who isn't constantly worried about whether his stretchy powers are playing havoc with his space-time continuum insurance policy. (Imagine the paperwork!).
Regardless, *The Fantastic Four: First Steps* hits theaters on July 25, and *Avengers: Doomsday* is slated for December 1, 2026. So, we've got plenty of time to speculate, worry, and ultimately, probably enjoy the ride. After all, even the best-laid plans of superheroes often go awry. (Just ask Tony Stark. Oh wait...).
Tags: Marvel, Avengers, Fantastic Four, Pedro Pascal, MCU
Original article: IGN South Africa