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Pedro Pascal on playing Mr Fantastic in 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps': 'It changed the course of my life'

Pedro Pascal on playing Mr Fantastic in 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps': 'It changed the course of my life'

TOI Entertainment Desk / etimes.in / Apr 11, 2025, 19:41 IST

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Pedro Pascal expresses surprise and transformation upon being cast as Mr. Fantastic in 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps,' a retro-futuristic MCU installment set in an alternate 1960s. Director Matt Shakman emphasizes the importance of the family dynamic and aims to blend classic comic energy with the grandeur of '2001: A Space Odyssey,' reimagining the Fantastic Four as pioneering astronauts.

Pedro Pascal on playing Mr Fantastic in 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps': 'It changed the course of my life'

Pedro Pascal will soon blast off into outer space as he joins Marvel's first family as Mr Fantastic in the highly anticipated 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps'.
With the film lined up for its release this July, the actor, who has begun his rounds film promotions, opened up about his 'transformative' and 'life-changing' experience playing the superhero. While fans had been buzzing over his casting much before the official announcement, Pedro revealed it came as a surprise and shifted the course of his career in unexpected ways. “It was a big, strange thing that I hadn’t planned on happening," he said in a statement and went on to add, "It changed the course of my life in a very sudden way, so I really had to process."
'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' marks the 37th instalment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and is set in a retro-futuristic alternate 1960s parallel Earth where the world is shaped by flying cars, robot companions, and utopian optimism.
In the upcoming film, director Matt Shakman revealed that he aims to blend the vibrant energy of classic comics with the grandeur of 2001: A Space Odyssey. “We knew that we'd be on another Earth, so we had a chance to reinvent what the '60s looked like,�?said Shakman and added, “I was really interested in imagining the Fantastic Four being astronauts. Instead of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin going to the moon, what if it was Reed, Sue, Johnny, and Ben who were the first to push those boundaries?�?br/>

Speaking about the film's casting, Shakman admitted that he was particularly focused on getting actors who could embody the family dynamic at the heart of the Fantastic Four. “Casting was the number one challenge for the film,�?he said. “It wasn't just about finding the best Ben or Johnny, but the best family �?the best married couple, the best siblings, the best honorary uncle.�?br/>'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' also starring Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, Ebon Moss-Bachrach. will be the third MCU release of the year, after 'Captain America: Brave New World' and 'Thunderbolts'.

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TOI Entertainment Desk

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