Warning: This post contains MAJOR spoilers for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
John Krasinski's Reed Richards surprise cameo. The Phase 4 Marvel Cinematic Universe film is filled with mind-blowing cameos that help the movie really live up to its title. Centered on Benedict Cumberbatch's beloved Doctor Strange character, audiences are taken into multiple universes in which they encounter numerous MCU characters.
From Hayley Atwell appearing as Captain Carter to Lashana Lynch returning as Earth-818's Captain Marvel, the Multiverse of Madness is truly filled with some gasp-worthy appearances. It's probably Krasinski's portrayal of Reed Richards, otherwise known as Mr. Fantastic, that induced the most cheers in theaters. Since Krasinski is more known for his average Joe (or Jim) roles, his casting as Mr. Fantastic sparked a debate among fans. Some thought the actor wasn't eccentric or charismatic enough to play the character. However, other fans thought he could pull it off. Nonetheless, it seems the Doctor Strange 2 writer still had fun creating Krasinski's character and bringing the actor on board as Richards.
In an exclusive interview with Screen Rant, Waldron explains why he loved creating Krasinski's surprise cameo as Reed Richards in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. When asked if he enjoyed writing Patrick Stewart's cameo as Professor X or Krasinski's cameo as Mr. Fantastic best, Waldron responded, "Probably the second one you said." As to why he liked that one the best, the writer explains Reed Richards is his favorite comic book character. Because of this, he had a lot of fun "originating that character in the MCU." View Waldron's full quote explaining why he loved creating Krasinski's surprise cameo as Mr. Fantastic below:
"Probably the second one you said. I'm not going to mention names, so I don't get in trouble. But only because that's probably my favorite comic book character. To get to work on originating that character in the MCU to some extent, felt super cool. That was a lot of fun."
Krasinski only briefly appears in the film in a controversial scene during which he suffers an undignified death at the hands of Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen). After failing to punch the all-powerful sorceress, Mr. Fantastic is pulled apart like silly putty. While Krasinski's cameo is short, based on his performance it appears Marvel may have other plans for the character. Yet, because of the multiverse nature of the film, the studio doesn't necessarily have to commit to Krasinski as Mr. Fantastic. If they choose to go in another direction, Krasinski's cameo would only serve as a nod to fans.
Still, it seems Krasinski is likely to remain as Mr. Fantastic in the MCU moving forward. Although his performance this time around was short-lived, the actor could end up surprising fans with a more engaging performance in future appearances. Nevertheless, since Reed Richards has no history in the MCU, Krasinski's cameo as the superhero in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is a positive step forward for fans of Mr. Fantastic.
