Marvel Studios was in the midst of casting their upcoming Fantastic Four movie before the SAG-AFTRA strike began. According to a new report, however, one of the actors that was in discussions for a role – a major one for the MCU, no less – was Josh Hartnett.
This report comes via GFR and states that Marvel Studios wants the actor to play Doctor Doom. Fans will recognize Doctor Doom as not only being one of the Fantastic Four’s most iconic villains, but one of the most powerful villains in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As such, one can imagine how big the part would be for the MCU.
Of course, Josh Hartnett wouldn’t be able to accept the Doctor Doom role until the strike comes to an end. Additionally, it looks like his part won’t be very large at first. As stated:
“If Hartnett says yes, however, he won’t be in the upcoming Fantastic Four reboot for very long,” GFR notes. “Our sources say that if Josh Hartnett says yes to the role, his part in Fantastic Four will be a relatively small one, but that his appearances will be longer and carry much more weight in subsequent projects.”
This lines up to what fans have expected so far. It seems likely that Marvel Studios would want to include Doctor Doom as a major villain for an upcoming project rather than use him right away. But their first Fantastic Four film would certainly be the best place to set the stage for Doctor Doom’s arrival.
As such, we’ll have to see how this turns out after the strike. It’s very possible that someone else could be chosen, assuming this report is even accurate. So fans should take the information with a grain of salt – but know that the MCU will have its Doctor Doom sooner or later.
Stay tuned to ScreenGeek for any additional Fantastic Four updates as we have them. The new film is currently scheduled to hit theaters on May 2, 2025.