While Paul Mescal, Pedro Pescal, and Joseph Quinn carried Gladiator II to the box office hit it became, one of those three is not like the others. While Pedro Pascal and Joseph Quinn are both starring as two of the four members of Marvel’s First Family, the Fantastic Four, Gladiator II star Paul Mescal confirmed he was never in talks to join the movie despite internet rumors.
While speaking to Josh Horowitz on his Happy, Sad, Confused YouTube show, Horowitz asked him if any of the rumors about Mescal joining the Fantastic Four film were true, to which he bluntly replied that they were not. Horowitz then went on to ask Mescal’s feelings about, “that kind of thing”, referring to any other future Marvel franchises he might be aspiring to join.
You can check out the video here, then scroll to around the 33 minute mark for the conversation pertaining to Marvel:
Horowitz: “If the internet is to be believed, and when can we not believe the internet, let’s be real it’s always true (sarcastic). Did you have conversations, at any point? Your buddy Pedro is playing Mr. Fantastic. Did you have that conversation with Marvel? It sounds like you were in that conversation.”
Mescal: “No no no… no… (laughs)”
Horowitz: “And where are you at with that kind of thing?”
Mescal: “I don’t think it… it’s not for me… I think I wasn’t brought up watching those films, I wasn’t drawn to them, I was more of a Lord of the Rings guy in that sense. Those were not films I was drawn to.”
They only talk about Marvel for about a minute, just enough time for Mescal to confirm he has no involvement with the film studio. This isn’t to say you won’t be seeing Mescal in Hollywood, as he makes it clear he will continue to act but in projects he feels more of a personal connection with. At the end of the day, he made his role in Gladiator II look easy so I’m sure whichever project he picks to work on next will also end up being a success.
Fantastic Four First Steps just wrapped filming the other day, and is starring Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Ralph Ineson as Galactus, and Julia Garner as the Silver Surfer and premiers in theaters on July 25th. From here, keep your eyes open for more new content as I’m sure Marvel is now starting to gradually lay the breadcrumbs for their Fantastic Four marketing campaign. Are you looking forward to seeing Marvel’s First Family in the MCU? Sound off on our social media!