Pedro Pascal Reacts to Being Called 'Too Old' for Reed Richard's Role in The Fantastic Four First Steps: 'Aware of Disgruntlement...'
Pedro Pascal has finally addressed the backlash surrounding his casting as Reed Richards, also known as Mister Fantastic, in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. The Mandalorian and The Last of Us actor was announced as the lead in Marvel's upcoming reboot, but some fans criticized the choice, saying he was "too old" and "not right" for the role.
In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, Pascal acknowledged the criticism openly. 'I'm more aware of disgruntlement around my casting than anything I've ever done,' he said. 'He's too old. He's not right. He needs to shave.'
Despite the backlash, Pascal expressed excitement about the film. He hasn't seen the final version yet but shared, 'I'm getting an inkling of excitement because it seems to reflect what our common goal was, and what we want to share, which is all of our f**king hearts on a platter within this genre. You just never know if people are going to be disgusted by your heart or not.'
Marvel's Reed Richards casting and fan reactions
Pedro Pascal's casting as Reed Richards has sparked mixed reactions online. While some fans supported Marvel's choice, others questioned whether the actor fits the image of the iconic character. The criticism focused on his age, appearance, and style, with fans making comments like "he needs to shave."
Pascal admitted that joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe wasn't easy. However, he credited his friend Robert Downey Jr. for helping him navigate the transition. 'Robert is just so immediately generous and inviting that you feel like you can be afraid, you can be hungry, you can be ambivalent,' he said.
In earlier interviews, Pascal shared his approach to the character, sharing with ComicBook that while Reed's body may stretch, the character is primarily about intellect. He said he thought of the brilliance of an octopus, not in a literal or physical way, but used that idea subconsciously to shape his portrayal.
Casting criticism is nothing new for Marvel films
Marvel's casting decisions often spark debate, especially when they involve fan-favorite characters like Reed Richards. Previous castings, such as Robert Pattinson as Batman or Ben Affleck in the same role, faced similar backlash before winning over audiences.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps is the first time the superhero team appears in the Marvel Cinematic Universe following Disney's acquisition of 20th Century Fox. The film is directed by Matt Shakman and produced by Kevin Feige. It also stars Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm. Ralph Ineson plays the villain Galactus, with Julia Garner appearing as the Silver Surfer.
What's next for Pedro Pascal's Reed Richards?
The Fantastic Four: First Steps hits theaters on July 25. The film will be followed by Avengers: Doomsday, where Pascal and the rest of the Fantastic Four team will reprise their roles.
Despite the initial backlash, Pascal seems committed to giving his best to the role. His thoughtful response shows that he's aware of fan concerns but is focused on staying true to the character.
Whether fans warm up to this version of Reed Richards remains to be seen, but Pascal's presence in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has certainly stirred conversation and curiosity.
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One hypothesis is that's because of two things: The Higgins-Macaulay Complex The Obama Delusion The Higgins-Macaulay Complex Mamdani's win is a testament to what one might call the Henry Higgins Delusion. While explaining to Eliza Doolittle the importance of speaking properly, Higgins claims: 'I know your head aches; I know you're tired; I know your nerves are as raw as meat in a butcher's window. But think what you're trying to accomplish. Think what you're dealing with. The majesty and grandeur of the English language, it's the greatest possession we have. The noblest thoughts that ever flowed through the hearts of men are contained in its extraordinary, imaginative, and musical mixtures of sounds. And that's what you've set yourself out to conquer Eliza. And conquer it you will.' It's the same delusion of Lord Babington Macaulay who claimed: 'A single shelf of a good European library was worth the whole native literature of India and Arabia.' 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He speaks the way they wish Indian voters rewarded. But they don't. Not anymore. The Obama Delusion The other reason for our liberal brethren finding meaning in election results across the world and not India is what one calls the Obama Delusion. There's no doubt that Barack Hussein Obama — an inter-faith kid and global citizen like Zohran Mamdani — was the last great charismatic liberal leader in the post-WWII order. Of course, without Obama there would be no Trump but now with a lack of charismatic leaders who can marry the many contradictions of the liberal order, almost every politician is raised to an Obama-like profile. The prognosis follows a simple trajectory: Identify a slightly popular political leader. If you can't find one, rally around a cricketer or actor. Build them up in your head to the point that you think they are Barack Obama, the patron saint of global liberals. Project your own political helplessness into their lives, and believe that their wins are ours. 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He speaks like a Substack, looks like a Sundance submission, and embodies everything Indian liberals have failed to find in a politician close home. But if you scrape past the filters, things look very different. As geneticist and blogger Razib Khan explained on X, Mamdani pulled an Obama by fusing wine-track whites immigrant Asians, much like Obama did with whites and black voters. As another user, Armand Domalewski explained: 'It is funny that both Zohran's haters and his fans are deeply committed to the idea he won on the backs of a multiracial working-class coalition when his strongest soldiers were college-educated, $100k+ income white guys.' In short, Mamdani didn't win because he's the face of the poor. He won because he's the algorithmic avatar of the liberal creative class. And that's precisely why Indian liberals love him. They too have no real mass base. They too are deeply online. And they too long for a politics that is less about persuasion and more about aesthetic affirmation. Mamdani, to them, is aspirational — not ideologically, but socio-linguistically. The irony, of course, is that Mamdani's politics, if implemented in India, would be dismissed by the same elite as 'economic illiteracy.' His ideas — rent freezes, free public buses, universal childcare, city-run grocery stores — would be mocked as communist nostalgia if proposed in Delhi. But wrapped in New York branding and TikTok transitions, it becomes romantic. Revolutionary, even. As economist and writer Noah Smith explains in a Substack post, the actual policy is economically brittle. Rent control would choke supply. City-run grocery stores are bureaucratic disasters waiting to happen. Noah Smith's takedown of Mamdani's policies is worth quoting here. While Mamdani talks eloquently about 'outcomes,' 'abundance,' and 'efficiency,' the actual policy slate is economically brittle. Rent control, Smith warns, will choke supply. City-run grocery stores are a bureaucratic disaster waiting to happen. The housing construction target of 200,000 units over 10 years is slower than past decades. Free childcare is noble but ruinously expensive. Free buses are politically popular but fiscally unsustainable. The vibe is Scandinavian. The budget is not. Even his most reasonable rhetoric — about public excellence, innovation, and removing red tape — sounds eerily like classic technocrat-speak. The kind that Indian liberals usually deride when it comes from NITI Aayog. But Mamdani wraps it in DSA branding and a postcolonial surname, and suddenly it becomes cool. As for the Israel controversy — he's not the extremist his critics claim. But he's also not immune to strategic ambiguity. His past defences of slogans like 'Globalise the Intifada' have hurt him, and his attempt to reframe the term as non-violent was — at best — intellectually dishonest. It hasn't helped the Palestinians. It has fed into America's Jewish anxieties. It's a misstep, and one that could haunt his broader electability. But none of this matters to his Indian fanbase. Because their politics isn't about consequences — it's about catharsis. Mamdani may or may not become mayor. But in the mind of the Indian liberal elite, he already is. Not because he represents what they want for India — but because he reminds them of what India no longer wants from them. Eloquence without mass support. Style without sweat. Surnames without soil. But here's the rub. Mamdani's rise says very little about America. And even less about India. It says everything about a certain class of Indians who no longer matter — but still speak as if they do. And like Daredevil: Born Again, the series doesn't end with a quiet retirement or a courtroom win — it ends with Murdock setting up an army. An underground network. A long war to come. Time will tell how far Zohran Mamdani goes in American politics. At this point he's certainly more camera-friendly than Kamala Harris, whose vacillating accents and out-of-context cackle alienated both Indians and Blacks. Could he become Mayor? Probably, because New York is a uniquely left-of-centre city. Meanwhile, MAGA stalwarts are having a laugh thinking that Mamdani's win shows the Democrats don't know what their party is anymore. That may be true but they should remember one thing. In 2015, people used to laugh at Donald Trump as well.
