Pedro Pascal, the star of "The Last of Us" and "The Mandalorian," has addressed the age-related criticism surrounding his casting as Reed Richards, also known as Mister Fantastic, in the upcoming film "The Fantastic Four: First Steps". The casting announcement, which was made on Valentine's Day in 2024, was met with some backlash from fans who felt that the 50-year-old actor was too old for the part.

Pascal admitted that the criticism affected him more than he usually allows such things to, saying, "I think that sometimes the outside will find you no matter how much you try to protect yourself from it, and it just comes with the territory". He made these comments to AP News at a fan event in London. Pascal explained that he was more sensitive to the situation because of the love that fans have for the characters and stories, noting that "they wouldn't exist if it weren't for the love that people have for these characters".

In Marvel Comics, Reed Richards gains the power to stretch his body after a trip to outer space where he is bombarded with cosmic rays. Along for the ride are Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn), and Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), who also gain extraordinary powers. While the comic books never specify the characters' exact ages, details suggest that Reed and Ben are in their mid-30s when they gain their powers, Sue is in her 20s or 30s, and Johnny is around 16. The actors cast in "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" are all roughly a decade older than their comic book counterparts.

Pascal is the oldest actor to play Reed Richards, following Ioan Gruffudd, Miles Teller, and John Krasinski. Gruffudd was 31, Teller was 28, and Krasinski was 42 when they played the character. Despite the scrutiny, Pascal is committed to doing justice to the role and wants to ensure that fan expectations are met. He stated that the only way to achieve this is to give the role "all my focus and all my heart and my body and my soul".

"The Fantastic Four: First Steps" is set to take place in an alternate universe with a retro-futuristic 1960s-inspired setting. A prequel comic indicates that the film's events occur about four years after the team was founded. The film will follow the conflict between the superhero group and the Silver Surfer (Julia Garner) and her boss, Galactus, who threatens Earth. "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" is set to release on July 24.