Matt Shakman Teases ‘Fantastic Four’ Cast Announcement After Strike Ends

Matt Shakman revealed that the ‘Fantastic Four‘ cast news won’t come right after the SAG-AFTRA strike ends, but it will be shared later, and he’s excited about the cast. “It’s not going to be immediately when the strike has resolved.“

Cameron Squires, known for ‘WandaVision‘ and ‘Agatha: Darkhold Diaries,’ will co-write the script for ‘Fantastic Four’ with Josh Friedman.

It was already reported that the first filming schedule is scheduled to take place at Pinewood Studios in London in spring 2024.

Matt Shakman Hints at ‘Fantastic Four’ Casting News After SAG-AFTRA Strike

In an upcoming episode of “The Discourse Podcast,” part of The Playlist’s Podcast Network, Shakman couldn’t reveal the ‘Fantastic Four’ cast yet but stressed the importance of chemistry. He promised an announcement after the SAG-AFTRA strike ends, and he’s excited about the passionate Marvel fanbase and casting debates. He wants the chemistry right, and the casting news, though not immediate, will come later, with hopes that fans will be equally excited.

Shakman said, “The fact that there is so much debate, I love it. I have been thinking about who should play these characters before I had the job to direct the movie, and I understand why everybody would be thinking in the same way. Chemistry is super important. It’s Marvel’s first family. I have to get it right. I have to get that chemistry right.” He added, “it’s not going to be immediately when the SAG strike has resolved, but we’ll be able to share some news at some point. And I hope people are as excited about this cast as I am.”

Pressure on Kevin Feige and Kathleen Kennedy to Announce ‘Fantastic Four’ and More at Disney’s Investor Day 2020

Reportedly, Disney pressured Kevin Feige to announce new Marvel Studios projects like ‘Fantastic Four’ and ‘Armor Wars’ during Disney’s Investor Day 2020, even though they were “nowhere near ready.” A similar situation was reported with Kathleen Kennedy and the new Lucasfilm projects.

In Marvel Comics, the Fantastic Four team consists of four members: Mr. Fantastic (Reed Richards), the Invisible Woman (Susan Storm), the Human Torch (Johnny Storm), and the Thing (Ben Grimm). They got superpowers after being exposed to cosmic rays during a space mission, which granted them extraordinary abilities. Mr. Fantastic gained the power to stretch his body to incredible lengths; the Invisible Woman can render herself and others invisible; the Human Torch can control and generate fire; and the Thing possesses superhuman strength and a durable rocky exterior.

Initially, the rumored cast for the film were Adam Driver, Margot Robbie, Paul Mescal, and Daveed Diggs. Driver was offered the role of Mr. Fantastic (Reed Richards), but later confirmed Driver is reportedly not interested in playing Reed Richards in Fantastic Four and passed on the role early on because “He couldn’t connect with the character.”

Produced by Kevin Feige, Grant Curtis, and Nick Pepin. ‘Fantastic Four’ hits theaters on May 2, 2025.

RELATED: Kevin Feige Revealed Even After 32 Movies, We’ve Just Scratched the Surface of the MCU