There’s a new Reed Richards on the scene, and the original Mr. Fantastic has thoughts. Alex Hyde-White was the first person to play the patriarch of Marvel’s First Family in live-action, even if most people don’t remember. He portrayed the character in the unreleased 1994 adaptation The Fantastic Four, famously produced with a very low-budget by Roger Corman. Unfortunately, after the movie failed to hit theaters, his career as a big screen superhero became more of a trivia piece than the foundation for Richards’ cinematic legacy.
No need to worry though, as Hyde-White is still getting plenty of work, and he’s still just as big a fan of Marvel as he was thirty years ago. Sitting down with The Hollywood Reporter to discuss his fantastic past, the upcoming Nope star was asked directly about John Krasinski’s surprise appearance as the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s new Reed. He couldn’t be more pleased:
Well, that’s not a surprise. He’s been rumored for a while. It’s exciting! He’s proved himself to be a heck of a storyteller and as a lead actor and a producer and director. Krasinski is a force to be reckoned with because he has a joy of storytelling, and he’s a good leader. Those are Reed Richards’ characteristics… If you were to send out a casting spec for Reed Richards, you would say “Excellent leader, control freak — but nice about it. Collaborator willing to take the blame.”
Alex Hyde-White
While it remains to be seen whether or not Krasinski becomes the 616 Reed, his cameo in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was a nice surprise for those eager to see him in the role. Until Marvel’s first family is cast, fans can take solace in knowing they’ll (finally) be joining the MCU soon.
Source: THR.
