Marvel Studios may have finally found its Human Torch! Casting speculations come after it broke this week that Jamie Dornan has allegedly been brought in for the upcoming Fantastic Four film reboot — the fourth attempt at adapting the Marvel comics supergroup for the big screen.
Though Marvel has not made an official confirmation, Dornan would be a phenomenal fit for the character of Johnny Storm — but there’s another role he’s even better suited for...
Fantastic Four finds its Human Torch?
In the run-up to San Diego Comic-Con and Disney’s own D23 announcement spree coming up in a couple of months, fans have been in a tizzy trying to guess who will make up the new Fantastic Four cast. Recent rumors suggest John Krasinski, won’t be coming back to play the stretchy genius after his cameo in Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness. Other rumors from 4chan (via Reddit) have pointed to Jason Segel not playing the Thing and Penn Badgley being one of the top choices for Reed. Other names that have allegedly been tossed around for the core four include Logan Lerman, Freddy Carter, Melissa Benoist, Callan McAuliffe, Natalia Dyer, and Jharrel Jerome.
Now, Giant Freakin Robot is reporting that Jamie Dornan is joining the cast, with the site speculating that the Fifty Shades of Grey star could play either Fantastic Four leader Reed Richards or Johnny Storm (aka, the Human Torch). The Human Torch would be great casting, in particular for several reasons.
Human Torch was Marvel’s resident himbo long before Taika Waititi passed the crown (and hammer) to Chris Hemsworth’s portrayal of Thor. Johnny Storm, brother of Susan and constant pain in the ass to both Reed and Ben, is impetuous, arrogant, reckless, brash, handsome, and hot-headed (figuratively and literally). Johnny’s “bad boy with a good heart” ways are magnetic. While the playboy is impossible to pin down, the women he flirts with will never stop trying.
Dornan, who has proven his ability to play this male archetype to a tee in Fifty Shades of Grey and has some of Johnny’s canonical physical attributes, would be an inspired choice for Johnny. Dornan has also proven that he’s more than just a good-looking actor — he also has the range. His outstanding performances in Belfast, The Tourist, The Fall, and Once Upon a Time have all received international recognition.
But there’s a catch...
The case for Doctor Doom
Dornan is 40 years old, however, and leaks suggest Marvel is specifically looking for actors in their 20s or 30s for the main characters, likely because the studio wants to continue bringing in the characters for future MCU projects long after Phase 4 is finished.
If Dornan isn’t Human Torch or Mister Fantastic, our next best guess would be the role of Dr. Victor von Doom, who beneath the facial scarring and titanium mask has always been a handsome devil.
But, don’t take our word for it, or the word of any social media leaker, for that matter. We’ll see what SDCC or D23 about Fantastic Four soon enough.
