Summary
2005’sFantastic Fouris almost two decades old, causing many to wonder what became of the film’s main cast members. The film was directed by Tim Story, with a script written by Mark Frost and Michael France, and spawned a sequel in 2007. Despite their popularity in the early-2000s, theharsh realities of the originalFantastic Fourmoviesare now evident. That said, the movies are still a lot of fun and remain the most successful iteration of the titular team in live-action after 2015’s failed reboot.
All 8 Live-Action Fantastic Four Costumes From Marvel Movies Ranked
The Fantastic Four have had some dramatically different looks across their few film appearances, with clear winners and losers.
Even after the failedFant4sticreboot in 2015, the appeal of rebooting the original, successful film from 2005 is impactingupcoming Marvel movies. In 2019, it was announced that Marvel Studios wouldrebootFantastic Fourin the MCU. The film will be released in 2025, 20 years after the original film. In this time frame, the actors hired to play the various Marvel Comics characters in 2005’sFantastic Fourhave had varied careers with many still active and some even tied to the continued endeavors of Marvel on the big screen.
6Ioan Gruffudd
Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic
Arguably the central character ofFantastic Fouris Reed Richards. In the 2005 film, and its sequelFantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Richards is played by Ioan Gruffudd. The first film centers around Richards' desire to conduct scientific experiments on clouds of cosmic energy. This leads to him being exposed to these energies, developing the stretchy superpowers that see him become Mister Fantastic. Gruffudd is great as Reed, balancing the amount of charm, intelligence, and protection the character possesses in Marvel Comics.
It has long been rumored that Ioan Gruffudd will return as Mister Fantastic at some point in the MCU’s future due to the concept of the multiverse.
Gruffudd’s acting career since 2005’sFantastic Fourhas been fairly varied. Gruffudd naturally returned as Reed Richards in the 2007 sequel to the film but has mostly opted to play roles in smaller productions since then. Some of the more notable include a cameo appearance in the comedyHorrible Bossesand the Dwayne Johnson-led disaster flickSan Andreas. The actor has not had a feature film credit since 2020’sAva, butGruffudd is expected to return to the screen in 2024 as Lockwood inBad Boys: Ride or Die.
5Jessica Alba
Sue Storm/Invisible Woman
In 2005’sFantastic Four, one of the people hired to accompany Reed in his cosmic experiments is Sue Storm. Storm is a genetics researcher who also happens to be Reed’s ex-girlfriend. Like her former lover, Storm is exposed to the cosmic energy cloud and turned into the Invisible Woman, forcing her and Reed closer together once more as they navigate their newfound abilities. InFantastic Four,Sue Storm is played by Jessica Alba.
As expected, Alba returned to play Sue Storm once more inFantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. After that, her career exploded into a significantly more lucrative one than Gruffudd’s. Some of Alba’s notable roles in the late-2000s and early-2010s includeGood Luck Chuck, The Eye,andLittle Fockers, the third film in theMeet the Parentsseries. Alba has starred in notable action movies in the 2010s, includingSin City: A Dame to Kill For, Barely Lethal,andMechanic: Resurrection.This action trend will continue into 2024, with Alba starring inNetflix’sTrigger Warningmovie.
4Chris Evans
Johnny Storm/The Human Torch
Alongside Sue Storm, her brother is also consigned to the space station being worked on by Reed Richards. Unlike Sue, Chris Evans' Johnny did not inherit the genius traits of their father and instead is a reckless, immature character in his adulthood. Johnny is the third member of the titular team who was exposed to the cosmic rays, receiving the ability to engulf his body in scorching hot flames. This saw Johnny become the Human Torch, the only member of the fledgling Fantastic Four in the 2005 movie who enjoyed having superpowers.
Evans' future continued to be dominated by superhero cinema…
In 2007, Evans reprised his role as Johnny Storm in the sequel toFantastic Four. Unlike Gruffudd and Alba, Evans' future continued to be dominated by superhero cinema. Despite appearing in movies likeTMNT,Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, andSnowpiercer,Evans was cast as Steve Rogers/Captain America for the MCU. Evans portrayed the character between 2011 and 2019 in 11 different movies acrossCaptain America’s extensive MCU timelineand was the only actor to appear in an MCU project every single year between his debut and departure.
Why Did Chris Evans Leave Marvel?
Chris Evans exited the MCU after Avengers: Endgame; there are a few reasons why he left the role and questions remain if he will return someday.
Outside of the MCU, Evans has branched out, especially since leaving the role of Captain America in 2019. Some other Hollywood performances from Evans include the rom-comBefore We Go- which he also directed - andGifted. In 2019, Evans played the villain of the murder mysteryKnives Out, before starring in thrillers likeThe Gray ManandGhosted. Future credits from Evans will see him appear in 2024’sRed Onealongside Dwayne Johnson and the detective-comedy movieHoney Don’t!directed by Ethan Coen.
Hubie Halloween
Father Dave
The fourth character to receive superpowers inFantastic Fouris Ben Grimm, played by Michael Chiklis. Chiklis appears in most of the film under a giant prosthetic suit, built to showcase Ben Grimm’s transformation from the popular astronaut into the gruff, bitter rock monster known as The Thing. InFantastic Four, Ben takes the brunt of the cosmic energy cloud, explaining his full transition rather than more unapparent changes employed by his friends. Chiklis is often cited as a highlight in his role as Ben Grimm, partially due to the fantastic prosthetics on display.
As is the case with the other three actors mentioned, Chiklis returned as The Thing in 2007’sFantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. After this, Chiklis' main success came in the realm of TV. Chiklis was already playing the role of Vic Mackey in the FX dramaThe ShieldwhenFantastic Fourwas released, a role he continued playing until 2008. After this, Chiklis found success on the ABC showNo Ordinary Family,CBS’sVegas, and FX’s American Horror Story: Freak Show. Another superhero credit saw Chiklis portray Nathaniel Barnes inGotham.
Chiklis has no confirmed future roles, with his last TV and movie appearances coming in 2023 via Accused and The Senior respectively.
2Julian McMahon
Victor Von Doom/Doctor Doom
The primary villain ofFantastic Fouris Victor Von Doom a.k.a. Doctor Doom. Doom is played by Julian McMahon, and begins the film as somewhat of an ally to Reed Richards. Doom, as the head of Von Doom Industries, is responsible for allowing the four soon-to-be superheroes onto his space station. When the four are exposed to the cosmic rays, Doom hides behind a shield and soon faces backlash from his shareholders for the risk of the mission. Doom eventually begins to resent Reed for this, realizing that the cosmic energy is also affecting him, turning him into the metallic villain Doctor Doom.
Alongside the four actors who portray The Fantastic Four, McMahon returned for the sequel. Future film appearances for McMahon then came inRED, Fire with Fire, You’re Not You,andMonster Party. McMahon also had success in the realm of superhero TV, playing a main role inMarvel’s Runawaysbefore returning to traditional TV in 2020 withFBI: Most Wanted. Future credits for McMahon include 2024’sThe SurferandThe Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat.
1Where Are The Other Notable Fantastic Four Cast Members
Other Actors From The Film Have Gone On To Equally Varied Roles
As evident, the large ensemble cast ofFantastic Fourhas spread its wings into the world of Hollywood filmmaking since 2005. Some actors have stuck with superhero-based roles, while others have employed a mix of TV and film productions to continue their careers. WithFantastic Fourraising its head as a common piece of online discourse in light of the MCU reboot, it will be interesting to see if any of the film’s cast members return thanks to the endless possibilities of the MCU multiverse.
Fantastic Four
Cast
Fantastic Four follows four astronauts who gain extraordinary abilities after a space mission goes awry. Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm transform into superheroes tasked with combating Dr. Doom’s malevolent schemes, marking their debut in facing global threats with newly acquired powers.
