Joseph Quinn, who will play Johnny Storm, a.k.a. The Human Torch in Marvel Studios' The Fantastic Four movie, hopes that the MCU film will attract audiences who might be growing tired of the superhero genre. Despite starring in only a few movies at this point, thanks to his compelling turn in Stranger Things, the British actor quickly rose as a much-in-demand actor. Following the Netflix series, Quinn booked roles in A Quiet Place: Day One and Gladiator II, but fans are more excited to see him take on the much-coveted Marvel role in The Fantastic Four, which is scheduled to release in theaters in 2025.
When Quinn was asked about superhero fatigue and why audiences are experiencing it during a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, the 30-year-old actor expressed his confidence in the project and said superhero films are ultimately about people. He also said that there are aspects in The Fantastic Four that are "very different" compared to other Marvel movies.
"I think that with the story of the Fantastic Four, it feels like we want to get this right," Quinn said. "There are aspects of it that are very different to other Marvel films. That felt very compelling to me. And again, going back to who's involved, Matt, of course, the director, I think is brilliant, and the cast, and I've read it and the script is brilliant. It's really brilliant. I'm delighted to have this opportunity."
He continued, "Superhero movies are movies about people. And if we're invested in the people and the characters and the peril and the spectacle, then that's why people go to the theaters to watch films. We're not just in a penny; we're in for a pound with this one. We're going to go for it."
The concern of superhero fatigue has risen in recent years. Since the theatrical release of Avengers: Endgame, box office results have been quite disappointing. With the amount of superhero movies and TV shows rising over the past decade, critics and fans have expressed how Marvel Studios and other production companies have been focused less on creating quality superhero projects.
The MCU's upcoming The Fantastic Four movie will be directed by Matt Shakman with a script from Josh Friedman (Avatar: The Way of Water). Shakman is known for directing episodes of WandaVision (2021), Game of Thrones (2017), and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2007 to 2017). More recently, Shakman directed the inaugural two episodes of Apple TV+'s Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.
In February 2024, the cast of The Fantastic Four was announced alongside Quinn: Pedro Pascal (The Mandalorian), Vanessa Kirby (The Crown), and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Bear). Earlier this month, Ozark star Julia Garner joined the cast as the Shalla-Bal incarnation of Silver Surfer.
What are Joseph Quinn's other upcoming movies?
Joseph Quinn is expected to appear in two movies before he makes his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in The Fantastic Four. Alongside Lupita Nyong'o, Quinn is playing Eric in A Quiet Place: Day One, a prequel spin-off in the A Quiet Place apocalyptic horror series, is scheduled to premiere on June 28 this year. He will also star as the co-emperor Caracalla in Gladiator II. Ridley Scott's long-awaited sequel to Gladiator (2000) will also star Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, and Quinn's The Fantastic Four co-star Pedro Pascal.
