Pedro Pascal plays the MCU’s Reed Richards, and a shocking theory links hints of The Fantastic Four’s story to create a dark origin for Mr. Fantastic.

Anticipation is high for The Fantastic Four, and a theory about what the movie holds for Reed Richards would give the character one of the darkest stories for any hero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Casting for The Fantastic Four was a major endeavor, with several rumors about possible candidates and actors who were said to have signed on or passed on the roles. After a long time with nothing but what came from the rumor mill, Marvel Studios finally announced the movie’s cast with gorgeous official art of the actors as their Fantastic Four characters.

Pedro Pascal plays Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby gives life to Sue Storm/The Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn is behind Johnny Storm/The Human Torch, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach is Marvel’s Ben Grimm/The Thing. Given his fan-favorite status from working on Game of Thrones, The Mandalorian, and The Last of Us, all eyes are on how Pascal will lead The Fantastic Four as Reed Richards. While Marvel has yet to confirm the movie’s story, there have been teases about what the film will entail, and a theory based on The Fantastic Four updates spotlights Pascal’s Reed with a twist.

The Fantastic Four Theory Presents Reed Richards As An Anti-Hero

Reed’s Rivalry With Doctor Doom Gets A New Meaning

While Marvel Studios has yet to comment on it, The Fantastic Four‘s villain is reportedly Galactus, though there is still no actor in talks or attached to play the character in the MCU movie. The choice would make sense, as Galactus is a major threat that would require Marvel’s First Family to give it their all to defeat, starting their MCU journey with a bang. However, an MCU theory shared on Reddit by user Ok-Ingenuity9833 proposes a story where the Fantastic Four find out that Galactus is coming to Earth, but the team does not defeat the villain.

According to the MCU theory, The Fantastic Four would follow Pascal’s Reed Richards getting to know of the threat Galactus poses — with the cosmic being named the “Devourer of Worlds” — and realizing that the Fantastic Four are ill-equipped to take on the villain. With nothing left to do to stop Galactus, Reed would pivot to a questionable plan. The theory suggests the team would spend most of the film fighting Galactus’ herald, the Silver Surfer, played by Julia Garner, with Reed and the team attempting to create a rocket ship that could incapacitate Galactus.

However, it would be revealed that Reed Richards had ulterior motives. The movie would show skeptics and scientists questioning Reed’s plan, with even the other members of the Fantastic Four starting to doubt Reed’s intentions. While the world watches as the Fantastic Four launch into space, Reed sends their rocket ship away from Galactus, using quantum technology to get them to the MCU’s Earth-616 while Galactus devours their original home. The MCU theory hinges on The Fantastic Four taking place on a different Earth in the MCU’s multiverse, not just the past, and that has been teased by Marvel.

The theory would also give a new origin to Reed Richards and Doctor Doom’s rivalry, with Victor von Doom being the only other survivor of the Fantastic Four’s Earth, eventually making his way to the MCU and vowing to get revenge for Reed and the team letting their Earth die.

The Fantastic Four Rumors Point To Alternate Universe Theory

There Are A Few Hints That Will Be The Case

Connecting to the MCU theory is the fact that there have been multiple teases that The Fantastic Four might take place in another universe rather than the main MCU. Recently, Marvel Studios released a Human Torch poster to celebrate the special date of 04/04/24 in Fantastic Four-style. While the poster gave a closer look at the Fantastic Four’s team costumes and showed how Joseph Quinn’s Human Torch form would work in the film, the poster’s background might have been more interesting. It showed the skyline of a retro-futuristic city, with the setting looking distinct from the MCU’s NYC.

The city veers more towards Disney’s “Tomorrowland” than New York, which would make sense if The Fantastic Four took place in another universe. With the movie teased in official art to be set in the 1960s, having the team come from another universe would also avoid questions about where the Fantastic Four have been throughout MCU events like Thanos coming to Earth. The casting of the Silver Surfer Shalla-Bal also strengthens the alternate universe theory, with that version of the character coming from the Earth X Marvel Comics story, which could lead to Galactus being Franklin Richards, like the comics.

Why Doctor Doom Should Be In The Fantastic Four

The MCU Theory Gives Doom A Great Arc

Doctor Doom is one of the most requested characters to make a debut in the Multiverse Saga. His presence in The Fantastic Four has yet to be confirmed; however, it would be very disappointing if Doom were not to appear in the film, even if only in a supporting role or as a cameo. The character has so far appeared in all the movies for Marvel’s First Family, with Doctor Doom being the main villain in two of them. That said, the MCU could finally do right by the character, making him one of the best live-action Marvel villains.

As the team’s main villain in the comics and other media, Doctor Doom is firmly connected to the Fantastic Four, so the characters finally getting a movie under Marvel Studios and Doom not being included would make it feel incomplete. Victor von Doom also played a major role in Marvel Comics’ Secret Wars events. With the Multiverse Saga coming to an end in 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars, Doom could once again play a key role in that story, and The Fantastic Four could set him up for that. Doom and Reed Richards’ rivalry could also start from their MCU debuts.

Reed Richards’ Dark Plans Could Lead To One Of Two Very Different Paths

Pascal’s MCU Character Could Go Down A Dangerous Path If The Theory Is Right

If the theory is accurate and Reed ends up leading an escape while Galactus devours the Fantastic Four’s Earth, then the character could end up going down an even darker path. Marvel Comics has a version of Reed that became a bona fide villain known as the Maker. The character was a major multiversal threat who killed with no remorse. The Maker played a major role in Secret Wars, and Pascal could play the villainous Reed before the rumored MCU reboot brings back a hero version of Mr. Fantastic.

On the other hand, a dark start would be perfect to have Reed Richards find himself again amid other heroes in the MCU. The character could feel the heavy burden of his actions and become a major force for good that ends up being vital to stop the destruction of the multiverse in the two upcoming Avengers movies, just like the theory proposes. Pascal has the acting skills to make Reed a nuanced character, with The Fantastic Four and other MCU entries exploring Mr. Fantastic’s complexities and how he rises to the occasion as a hero.