Not Krasinski, But Daniel Craig Was First Choice To Play Mr. Fantastic

The appearance of John Krasinki’s cameo as Richard Reeds aka Mr. Fantastic in Doctor Strange 2 was a talking point among cinematic fans, but Craig’s portrayal as the Fantastic Four leader could have been slightly better.

Krasinski’s debut in the MCU came during a scene within Doctor Strange 2, which showcases Doctor Stephen Strange’s encounter with the Illuminati team on Earth-838. Apart from Mr. Fantastic, the team also saw heroes like Black Bolt, Captain Carter, Captain Marvel, and even Patrick Stewart’s Professor X.

John Krasinski Appeared as Reed Richards in Doctor Strange 2

Though Stewart’s return as Professor X was earlier confirmed during the initial trailer leading up to the film, however, other versions of all the other MCU characters were kept under strict wraps, as per Marvel’s policy.

Krasinski’s introduction as Reed Richards was buzzworthy. It wasn’t the first time MCU has incorporated “Marvel’s First Family” members but this happens to be the first official tie-in to the forthcoming Fantastic Four film. Unfortunately, Mr. Fantastic and the Illuminati team were brutally murdered by Scarlet Witch after she goes on a hunt for America Chavez.

Reed Richards (John Krasinki) worked well enough for the short period of time he was shown as the founder of the Fantastic Four. The casting also brought a popular fan-casting to life that had been making the rounds for years. This being said, Krasinski wasn’t really the first choice to play the role of Mr. Fantastic.

Daniel Craig Was The First Choice To Play The Role

As per the reports, Daniel Craig was an initial choice to play the cameo as Reed Richards but he backed out due to COVID-19 concerns.

Although Krasinski’s appearance was quite eventful, Daniel Craig’s cameo in the movie would have elevated it to a much higher level. Daniel Craig is a much bigger A-lister than Krasinski, and his cameo as Mr. Fantastic would have surely gotten fans crazy. Daniel Craig just ended a 15-year stint playing the infamous spy, James Bond after his departure in last year’s No Time to Die. However, he’s still among the most coveted actors right now, and having him as Reed Richards as part of the Illuminati would have been one of the biggest thrills in MCU history.

While Krasinski was still a pleasant surprise, having someone like Craig would have been a major surprise as his connection to the role was kept under wraps quite cleverly.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is running in theaters now.