Ioan Gruffudd, who played Reed Richards in the 2005 'Fantastic Four' and its 2007 sequel, has revealed that the original plan was for a trilogy. In an interview with Vulture, the Welsh actor said the studio's decision to end the franchise after two films was beyond his control.
Gruffudd explained that both films were moderately successful, each grossing over $300 million worldwide. He particularly praised working with Doug Jones, who portrayed the Silver Surfer, calling him 'untouchable' in bringing characters to life physically. Despite the momentum, the planned third film never materialised.
The actor previously told The Guardian in 2020 that he sought therapy after the franchise ended, as he had assumed playing a superhero would be a 'calling card' for his Hollywood career. However, his career did not take off as expected, even as the superhero genre exploded with 'Iron Man' and 'The Dark Knight' in 2008.
Gruffudd described the emotional impact of leaving the role, saying actors 'grieve' for characters they have played. 'This was a massive stepping stone in my career... the character becomes part of you,' he said. Despite the disappointment, he remains proud of the films and attended the premiere of the new Marvel reboot last month.
His co-star Michael Chiklis, who played Ben Grimm, also showed support for the new cast, posting on X: 'I want to wish the cast and crew of 'First Steps' the best of luck and success.'
