2025 Fantastic Four Movie’s Biggest Casting Mystery Just Got Solved

2025 Fantastic Four Movie’s Biggest Casting Mystery Just Got Solved

The Fantastic Four: First Steps‘ newest casting announcement revealed who Marvel Studios solid as one of many movie’s “essential” characters.

Although the MCU’s long-awaited reboot of Marvel’s first household arrives in theaters on July 25, there’s nonetheless quite a lot of secrecy in regards to the Part 6 movie’s full solid. However one thriller has lastly been solved regarding a key character who’s been a part of The Fantastic Four‘s advertising and marketing from the beginning.

The Direct

Voice actor and sound editor Matthew Wooden is voicing HERBIE, The Fantastic Four: First Steps retro robotic, a droid created by Pedo Pascal’s Reed Richards and who director Matt Shakman claims (by way of Empire) is “as essential and as alive as another member of the solid:”

“He’s completely as essential and as alive as another member of the solid. He’s generally a barely put-upon robotic, however he’s undoubtedly a member of the household. He’s simply so charming and lovely.”

Casting Matthew Wooden as this intergal member of The Fantastic Four makes excellent sense since Wooden has a historical past of voicing mechanical characters below the Disney umbrella. 

The legendary Lucasfilm sound editor voiced Normal Grievous in Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith and the Battle Droids in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Within the years since, he is additionally lent his vocal abilities to tasks starting from Star Wars: The Pressure Awakens to Marvel Studios’ X-Males ’97 and What If…?

Three Fantastic Four: First Steps Mystery Characters

Whereas Wooden’s casting solves one Fantastic Four casting thriller, others stay unknown. As an illustration, Marvel Studios has confirmed a number of well-known stars have roles within the Part 6 movie, however followers nonetheless do not know who they’re taking part in. These actors have both been hidden within the movie’s advertising and marketing or their presence has been restricted at finest.

The next is a listing of stars solid in The Fantastic Four: First Steps whose roles are being stored below wraps:

John Malkovich

John Malkovich in The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Marvel Studios

Recognized for Harmful Liaisons and Being John Malkovich, the Academy Award-nominated actor was revealed within the first official trailer for The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Nonetheless, his temporary, bearded look did little to make clear who his character is.

Whereas some followers have speculated he is taking part in an older Nathaniel Richards, one of many main theories is that Marvel Studios solid John Malkovich because the Pink Ghost. First launched in January 1963’s Fantastic Four #13, the Pink Ghost, or Ivan Kragoff, was a Russian scientist with a military of Tremendous-Apes who gained his powers from publicity to cosmic rays. 

Natasha Lyonne

Actress Natasha Lyonne
Natasha Lyonne

One other confirmed star for The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Natasha Lyonne (Orange Is the New Black, Poker Face) just lately voiced Byrdie, the unusual however highly effective offspring of Darcy Lewis and Howard the Duck, in What If…? Season 3. 

Whether or not Marvel Studios is bringing Byrdie into live-action via First Steps or casted her to play a brand new character is unknown. Nonetheless, if the MCU is leaning towards the latter, there are theories that the actress could also be taking part in Alicia Masters, Ben Grimm’s love curiosity. 

Paul Walter Hauser

Actor Paul Walter Hauser
Paul Walter Hauser

Rounding out The Fantastic Four‘s secret trio is Paul Walter Hauser from Cobra Kai and Inside Out 2. However fan curiosity is especially excessive since he is reportedly taking part in a primary character within the movie, very like Matthew Wooden’s HERBIE. 

One of many main theories is that Paul Walter Hauser could also be taking part in Mole Man, an authentic Fantastic Four comedian guide villain, particularly since Marvel Studios has already alluded to Mole Man’s Subterranea, and the situation was seemingly proven in a revealing Fantastic Four: First Steps set video. 

However regardless of the secrecy surrounding Hauser’s function, the actor himself has been notably bullish concerning the MCU film, telling The Direct he believes The Fantastic Four will “go down in historical past:” 

“And I imagine that this may go down in historical past as one of many ones that began a brand new tide of profitable storytelling for the corporate. Kind of in the identical means the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’  and ‘Black Panther’ hit. They each hit in a sure means. I imagine we’re about to hit.”

Try the perfect look but of Galactus from The Fantastic Four: First Steps right here!


The Fantastic Four: First Steps arrives in theaters on July 25.