Chris Pratt cast as Franklin Richards in Secret Wars?
Chris Pratt has officially been cast as Franklin Richards, the son of Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic) and Sue Storm (Invisible Woman), and one of the most powerful characters in Marvel Comics. However, Marvel has also confirmed that a younger child actor will portray Franklin in his early years, with Pratt taking over as an older teenage version of the character in Avengers: Secret Wars.
Yes, you read that right. We were expecting someone, you know, younger. Maybe a teenager or even a few actors to span his early life and eventual adulthood. But Marvel decided, “Let’s just throw Chris Pratt in there and see what happens.”
Now, you might be wondering, “Wait a second, didn’t we just get Robert Downey Jr. cast as Doctor Doom?” And yes, we did. The man who made Tony Stark the face of the MCU is now going to play the ultimate villain, Doom. But hey, nothing says fresh and exciting like a couple of big-name stars who are already box-office gold, right? This is Marvel’s way of telling us, “We know what works, Chris Pratt sells tickets, Robert Downey Jr. sells tickets. Why mess with what works?”
But really, is this a sign that Marvel is starting to run out of ideas? Is this what happens when you’ve built an empire and you’re scrambling for a new “fan-favorite” character to launch next? Instead of taking a risk with some fresh, up-and-coming talent, Marvel’s like, “What if we just keep casting the same guys? No big deal, right?”
It begs the question, can Chris Pratt pull off a young Franklin Richards? Sure, he’s got the charisma, the charm, and the lovable goofiness. But can Pratt make that transition from lovable space outlaw to omnipotent teenager with the power to rewrite existence? Or are we all going to collectively facepalm when his version of Franklin throws a tantrum and accidentally erases the Earth just because he didn’t get a snack before his big scene?
Seriously though, will this casting cause a backlash? People are already up in arms about Robert Downey Jr. playing Doctor Doom, and now Marvel is doubling down by casting Pratt as Franklin. Fans are going to have a lot to say about this. Will it be hailed as genius? Or will Marvel get hit with a tidal wave of backlash, with angry fans shouting, “What’s next, Chris Hemsworth as Mephisto?”
Only time will tell if this casting choice will cause a Marvel meltdown. But for now, we’ll just sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride. Will Chris Pratt be the Franklin Richards we never knew we needed? Let us know what you think in the comments below!
Scoop by Clee Torres