With a new director and a writing team, Marvel Studios is beginning to make moves on their long-awaited Fantastic Four film. Announced at SDCC ’19, Fantastic Four has been delayed by the departure of original director Jon Watts and was recently bumped into 2025 as part of a slate-wide reshuffle. However, with things looking settled in, they’ve begun the search for a cast and with the onset of casting comes a fascinating new rumor.
According to the Hot Mic podcast, Adam Driver may have previously met with Marvel Studios for an unknown role in the film a few months ago. The 38-year-old actor has taken a bit of a break from Hollywood tentpoles after holding down the role of Kylo Ren in the Star Wars sequel trilogy but has continued to build a strong resume, including garnering a second Academy Award nomination for his role in a Marriage Story.
Though the rumor doesn’t attach Driver to a specific role, thoughts immediately turn to Driver taking on the role of Victor Von Doom. While there’s plenty of interest in who Marvel will cast as the First Family, Doom may be the biggest role in the history of the studio. One of Marvel’s richest and most complex characters, Doom should have a major role in the next decade of the MCU, potentially making it attractive to a star like Driver while also tempting Marvel to look for known quantities.
Of course, until there’s official word from Marvel Studios, there’s no reason to get too attached to anyone associated with the role of Doom or any other. Sneider himself has said the tip was from an unproven source. Marvel Studios, under the leadership of long-time casting director Sarah Finn, has rarely missed on these type of major castings in part because they tend to take their time. Fans should expect that to be the case again here, as production on Fantastic Four isn’t expected to kick off until the second half of 2023.
