Ioan Gruffudd Is Ready to Stretch Back Into the MCU as Reed Richards
Superhero fandom has a long memory, and few casting debates run as deep as the one over Marvel’s first family. The Fantastic Four have been on screen multiple times, with each version finding its own loyal audience. That history is why a simple comment from a past star can ignite a new wave of speculation.
Marvel’s current multiverse storyline has made that kind of cameo talk feel more realistic than ever. With alternate versions of familiar heroes popping up and past franchises being folded into the same canon, fans have learned to keep an eye out for surprises. It’s easy to imagine a returning face at nearly any moment.
Ioan Gruffudd, who played Reed Richards in the 2005 ‘Fantastic Four’ film and its 2007 sequel ‘Rise of the Silver Surfer’, has once again said he would happily return to the role. In comments circulating online, the actor said he’d jump at the chance if Marvel or Kevin Feige ever called, and that he would gladly put on the blue costume with the Fantastic Four emblem again.
It isn’t the first time he’s expressed that willingness. Back in 2025, at Comic-Con Liverpool, Gruffudd told fans he would return if invited but also said he hadn’t been asked to appear in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’. In an earlier conversation with Vulture, he said he hadn’t been approached to reprise Mister Fantastic, though he added that you never know.
For now, the MCU’s Reed Richards belongs to someone else. Pedro Pascal made his debut as Mister Fantastic in ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ and is set to return in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ and ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’. According to The Direct, the only Fantastic Four members confirmed for ‘Doomsday’ are the newer team from ‘First Steps’.
The older movies featured Jessica Alba as Sue Storm, Chris Evans as Johnny Storm and Michael Chiklis as Ben Grimm. Evans later moved on to another Marvel role, which has only fueled fan hopes of a multiverse reunion. Gruffudd’s Reed is one of several past versions of the character, including Miles Teller from the 2015 reboot and John Krasinski, who played an alternate Reed in ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’.
Fans have already been theorizing about a Council of Reeds, a gathering of multiple Reed Richards variants. The idea picked up steam after a scene featuring Krasinski’s version, whose character was killed off, and some online theories suggest Marvel could unite every live-action Reed. Screen Rant has floated the idea that Gruffudd, Teller and Krasinski could return as variants alongside Pascal.
Nothing about that is confirmed, and Marvel hasn’t announced any such plan. ComicBook.com has pointed out that the studio has promised additional casting reveals for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, which makes it hard to rule anything out. It also noted that actors sometimes downplay their involvement to protect surprises.
Part of the reason Gruffudd’s comments resonate is that the early films still have supporters. The 2005 movie made over $300 million at the box office, according to Shortlist, and a third film was eventually canceled in favor of a reboot. When Pascal was first linked to the role, some fans online argued that Gruffudd had set the standard for casting Reed Richards.
That nostalgia is a powerful force in modern superhero filmmaking. Studios have increasingly leaned on familiar faces to deepen their universes, and audiences have responded enthusiastically to returning actors. A cameo from Gruffudd would be a way to honor that earlier era while acknowledging how much the genre has changed.
At the moment, there’s no confirmation that Gruffudd will appear in any MCU project. ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ opens on December 18, and Marvel is known for guarding its biggest surprises until release. Whether he’s in the film or not, his willingness keeps the door open for a future appearance.
For fans, the news is a reminder that the multiverse story is still a place where almost any version of a hero could surface. And with the studio juggling so many characters, it’s easy to see why a familiar scientist stretching into frame would get a huge reaction.
Would you like to see Ioan Gruffudd return as Reed Richards in Avengers: Doomsday?
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