A multiverse Reed Richards could appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe before too long, but Marvel's Fantastic Four movie is the best place to include multiple versions of Mr. Fantastic. Ever since Marvel Studios confirmed plans for a Fantastic Four movie directed by Jon Watts, there has been great speculation about whether the characters will appear in the MCU before their solo movie. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is now the focus of these theories, as the multiverse story and potential introduction of the Illuminati could allow a version of Reed Richards to appear.

The speculation about Reed Richards' MCU debut has been particularly lengthy. Many were convinced he'd appear as WandaVision's aerospace engineer, but that didn't happen. There was also speculation the Fantastic Four could be teased in Spider-Man: No Way Home due to Jon Watts' involvement in both franchises. Now, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is considered a possibility to feature Reed Richards. The tease of Patrick Stewart's Professor X being part of the MCU's multiverse Illuminati team opens the door for Mr. Fantastic to do the same since he is part of the team in the comics. However, this isn't the best place for a multiverse Reed Richards appearance.

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If Marvel Studios wants to feature multiple versions of Reed Richards, the MCU's Fantastic Four movie is the perfect place to do it. The film will prominently feature Mr. Fantastic and the rest of Marvel's First Family, and the sci-fi story could include multiversal elements, such as the Interdimensional Council of Reeds. The collection of versions of Reed Richards from across the multiverse gives Marvel Studios a great opportunity to show who Mr. Fantastic is and what he could become depending on how his MCU story progresses. Additionally, the Council of Reeds and the idea of variants gives MCU's Fantastic Four movie a chance for whoever Marvel casts as the MCU's Reed Richards to potentially crossover with prior actors or popular fan cast options.

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The Interdimensional Council of Reeds is still a relatively new idea in the Marvel comics, as it was created by Jonathan Hickman in 2009. It is a collection of versions of Mr. Fantastic who work together to keep the multiverse safe and solve various problems. The Council is created by three Reeds who acquire the Infinity Gauntlet in their universes. However, the trade-off for the knowledge and experience of working alongside other versions of themselves is that they couldn't return to their universes. Since the MCU's Fantastic Four movie will likely give Reed a prominent role, the inclusion of the Council could help show why he's not willing to give up his life.

While Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has the potential to include a single Reed Richards variant, the MCU's Fantastic Four could use the Council of Reeds to go well beyond that. The actor that Marvel Studios gets to play the MCU's Mr. Fantastic could interact with multiple versions of himself, while Marvel could also bring back past actors like Ioan Gruffudd or Miles Teller through the multiverse. They could even use the popular fan casting of John Krasinksi as a Reed Richards variant if he isn't cast as the main version of him. Furthermore, these multiverse Reed Richards could have a much bigger role in a story where Mr. Fantastic is the main character instead of a supporting one. For that reason, Fantastic Four is the best place for multiverse Reed Richards to appear.

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