An exciting piece of Marvel fan art imagines You star Penn Badgley as Reed Richards in the MCU’s Fantastic Four. Perhaps known best for his role as Dan Humphrey in the beloved CW drama Gossip Girl, Badgley’s latest starring role sees him play the obsessive serial killer Joe Goldberg in Netflix’s You. Production on You season 4 officially wrapped earlier this week, and with You season 5 still yet to be confirmed many are excited to see whether Badgley could now be stepping into an exciting new role.
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Following the confirmation that Marvel will officially be bringing the Fantastic Four to the MCU, the big question has most certainly been just who will take on these highly coveted roles. After the release of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness earlier this year introduced John Krasinski's Reed Richards variant from Earth-838, all eyes are now on Marvel as audiences await confirmation as to who will lead the Fantastic Four in their upcoming standalone project. Though any updates about the role of Reed Richards remain entirely unconfirmed at this stage, Badgley has been the latest star to have his name thrown in the mix and now a fantastic piece of art has brought this fan-casting to life.
Created by artist @Bosslogic and shared on Instagram, this incredibly detailed piece of art imagines Badgley in the role of Reed Richards. The art sees Badgley sporting the Fantastic Four suit, which includes the instantly recognizable 4 emblem on the chest. In the art, Badgley can also be seen rocking the iconic grey temples that have become synonymous with the smartest man alive. The art immediately gained a lot of attention, with many praising the artist's work, while also offering some mixed responses as to whether they felt Badgley could be right for the role. Check out the art below.
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With Fantastic Four not set for release until late 2024, very little has been shared when it comes to the film's expected cast and crew. Recent news, however, confirmed that WandaVision director Matt Shakman was the current frontrunner to direct the highly anticipated project, with many hoping that Disney's upcoming fan convention D23 will yield some exciting confirmations. Whether Badgley has met with Marvel Studios to discuss the role remains to be seen, however, Marvel president Kevin Feige previously opened up about the process behind casting the Fantastic Four, sharing that it is simply about finding the "best actor for the job."
When it comes to fan-castings and rumors, people tend to look to fan art such as this as they offer exciting glimpses of what could be. It's fair to say that Badgley certainly looks the part, but it ultimately comes down to whether Marvel sees the actor as the perfect fit for the role of Reed Richards, a role that is set to have some major involvement within the future phases of the MCU. For now, it's likely that Badgley will not be the last person to have their name associated with the role of Reed Richards, as audiences continue to eagerly await updates on Fantastic Four.