Pedro Pascal Reportedly Inching Closer to Deal to Portray Mr. Fantastic in Marvel Studios’ “Fantastic Four”

It appears Pedro Pascal may be in for a Fantastic time…

Following months of speculation about who may be playing Reed Richards aka Mr. Fantastic in Marvel Studios’ Fantastic Four, the 48-year-old Chilean actor’s name has emerged as a top contender for the role.

Pedro PascalWhile a deal is nowhere near complete, Deadline is reporting that three-time Emmy nominee  is in talks to play the leader of the iconic superhero team.

Insiders add that scheduling is still being worked out, but multiple sources close to the negotiations say it’s headed in the right direction for Pascal to take on this role and his other future projects.

Pascal has a full dance card that includes Gladiator 2, which is expected to go into production before the end of the year, as well as the second season of his popular HBO series The Last Of Uswhich is expected to shoot next year. He’s also expected to shoot Zach Cregger’s Weapons.

Marvel had no comment.

Director Matt Shakman is currently in pre-production at Pinewood Studios in England.

Pedro Pascal in Final Negotiations to Star in Paramount’s Untitled “Gladiator” Sequel

Pedro Pascal is ready to Rome

The 48-year-old Chilean actor is thisclose to joining the cast of the untitled Gladiator sequel for Paramount.

Pascal would join Paul Mescal, who will star as Lucius, as well as Barry Keoghan, Joseph Quinn, Connie Nielsen and Denzel Washington.

Ridley Scott is returning to direct.

Pascal’s role is unknown.

The new film follows the 2000 blockbuster Gladiator, which earned more than $460 million in worldwide box office and was nominated for 12 Oscars, winning five including Best Picture.

The role of Maximus, the Roman general-turned-gladiator, was a career-changer for Russell Crowe, not only delivering him the Best Actor Oscar but also launching him to the top of every leading-man list. Once it was made clear last year that the sequel would be Scott’s next movie, every male actor in town that fit the profile began chasing the part.

David Scarpa penned the script.

Also returning from the original film are John Mathieson (director of photography), Arthur Max (production designer) and Janty Yates (costume designer).

Paramount Pictures has dated the film for November 22, 2024.

The first film was co-production between Universal and DreamWorks, and while DreamWorks will not be involved in the sequel, Universal has the right to partner again when the project is packaged.

Pascal has been a major player following his scene-stealing role in his one season on Game of Thronesbut his star has blasted off following The Last of Uswhich has become one of the most popular shows in HBO’s history. While HBO is looking to get the show up and going next year, Pascal had been weighing a number of options to shoot before jumping back in to that and the opportunity on this film was too hard to pass up.

Besides The Last of Us, which will certainly have him in award season chatter this Emmy season, he also reprised his role on the Disney+ series The Mandalorianwhich just had its Season 3 finale last week.

Pascal can next be seen starring alongside Ethan Hawke in Pedro Almodovar’s short film Strange Way of Life, which will premiere at the Cannes Film Festival and will be distributed by Sony Pictures Classics this fall.

Additionally, Pascal is in Ethan Coen’s film Drive-Away Dolls, distributed by Focus Features and releasing in September. Pascal also stars in Anna Boden’s Freaky Tales, which is likely to come out later this year.

He also hosted Saturday Night Live earlier this year, earning rave reviews, and is also in contention for some Emmy love this awards season.

Pepe Barroso to Star in Gladiator Drama “Those About to Die”

Pepe Barroso is preparing for battle … 

The 26-year-old Spanish actor has been cast in Peacock’s epic gladiator drama Those About to Die, as principal photography on the Roland Emmerich series kicked off at Rome’s historic Cinecittà Studios.

Pepe Barroso,Barroso, who recently starred in Gran Turismo, joins a list of new cast additions that includes Iwan Rheon, Liraz Charhi, Johannes Haukur Johannesson, Rupert Penry-Jones, Eneko Sagardoy, Gonçalo Almeida, Kyshan Wilson and Alicia Edogamhe.

Inspired by Daniel Mannix’s nonfiction book, Those About to Die is billed as an epic drama set in the complex and corrupt world of ancient Rome’s spectacle-driven gladiatorial competition.

AGC Television is the studio, with additional financing provided by High End Productions and with local production services provided by Italy’s Wildside Productions.

Anthony Hopkins will play Vespasian, the Emperor of Rome and head of the Flavian bloodline, and the likes of Sara Martins and Dimitri Leonidas have already been cast for key roles.

Sagardoy (GiantElite), Barroso (45 rpm) and Almeida (Esperança) play the Corsi brothers.

Emmerich is directing alongside Marco Kreuzpaintner, with Robert Rodat writing.