Ioan Gruffudd remains appreciative of his time in the 'Fantastic Four' film series
In a series of recent interviews, Ioan Gruffudd has looked back on his role as Reed Richards in the mid-2000s Fantastic Four films with a mix of fondness and regret. The actor, who played the part under the direction of Tim Story, recalled the "lighter, family feel" of the comics that the movies aimed to capture.
Gruffudd's costar, Julian McMahon, who played Doctor Doom, was remembered as a significant contributor to the series' success. The actor's performance as the villain was a highlight for Gruffudd, who compared it favourably to great performances from movies of this nature, such as Gene Hackman in the original Superman.
The Fantastic Four series, which included the films Fantastic Four (2005) and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007), ended with the latter. Despite plans for a third movie, they were later scrapped. This was due to Fox's shifting plans and eventual Marvel Studios reboot initiatives.
Gruffudd believed that Fox's previous success with the X-Men would ensure the Fantastic Four series would blossom into a franchise. However, this was not to be, and the series ended after two movies. The actor felt a duty to portray Reed as "naïve" about his powers at first, but still "honorable and noble, and clearly a bookish character who was passionate about science and wanted to do good for the world."
The actor also noted the envy and jealousy Reed had towards Doctor Doom, and the sense of betrayal and devastation that resulted from their relationship. He believed that this added depth to the characters and the series as a whole.
Despite the scrapped plans for a third movie, Gruffudd has not been asked to reprise his role in Avengers: Doomsday or Secret Wars. This aligns with the fact that Marvel Studios cast a new actor for Reed Richards in the recent Fantastic Four MCU reboot, making a Gruffudd return for Avengers unlikely.
However, Gruffudd remains "incredibly proud" of playing Reed Richards and being part of the Fantastic Four franchise. He expressed excitement about the continued life of the Fantastic Four comic and franchise, and his reflections on the series' production and his character portrayal show a thoughtful and positive attitude towards his time as Reed Richards.
- Ioan Gruffudd, in an interview with Gizmodo, shared his thoughts on the future of the Fantastic Four franchise, expressing his excitement about the continued life of the comic and the series.
- In the movies-and-tv section of Io9, one could find discussions about the performances of Julian McMahon as Doctor Doom in the Fantastic Four series, with comparisons made to iconic villain performances in movies of that genre, like Gene Hackman in the original Superman.
- With the planned third Fantastic Four movie being scrapped, Gruffudd's character, Reed Richards, is yet to make a appearance in the tech-centric world of movies like Avengers: Doomsday or Secret Wars.
