‘Fantastic Four’s Joseph Quinn Pushes Back On Superhero Fatigue & Says “Different” Marvel Movie ”Invests In People”

While he’d only shot a few films up to that point, thanks to his compelling turn in season four of “Stranger Things,” British actor Joseph Quinn quickly shot into the stratosphere and became a much-in-demand up-and-comer. Following that series, he promptly booked roles in “Gladiator II,” “A Quiet Place: Day One,” and, of course, the much-coveted role of Johnny Storm in Marvel’s upcoming “The Fantastic Four” movie, arriving in the summer of 2025.

READ MORE: ‘The Fantastic Four’: Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach & Joseph Quinn Confirmed For Marvel Movie

In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly for “A Quiet Place: Day One,” which comes out this summer, Quinn spoke at length about his casting for “The Fantastic Four,” the expectations, the pressures, and more.

While previous “Fantastic Four” films made during the 20th Century Fox era were largely panned by critics, Quinn said Chris Evans’ turn as his character Johnny Storm, aka The Human Torch, was memorable nonetheless.

“I remember really enjoying Chris Evans’ performance as Johnny in the previous films, and it felt like this would be a really exciting opportunity; I was absolutely signed up,” he said. However, even if the films were poorly received, Quinn said stepping into a role that Evans once played “[are] big boots [to fill].”

Quinn also suggested “The Fantastic Four” will be different from previous Marvel films to try and stand out. “I mean, you[’ve] going to make it your own,” Quinn said about doing something different from what Evans did in the role and the previous films

“I knew that they’d been talking about making the Fantastic Four in the Marvel Universe for a while,” Quinn said. “I had a talk with [director] Matt [Shakman], and it was very clear with the kind of people who they were attaching to it what they were trying to do with it. There are aspects of it that are very much a singular thing and its own thing.”

Asked about superhero fatigue and why audiences are experiencing it, the actor said superhero movies are ultimately about people, and if you care and invest in the characters, that’s all that really matters, as well as how you make audiences care.

“Superhero movies are movies about people,” he explained. “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.” 

“I think that with the story of the Fantastic Four, it feels like we want to get this right,” Quinn continued on fatigue concerns. “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.”

“Fantastic Four” stars Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/The Invisible Woman, Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing, and Quinn as Storm. “Ozark” star Julia Garner also recently joined the cast as Shalla-Bal, a version of the classic FF comics character the Silver Surfer.

Galactus and Doctor Doom are also villainous characters, speculated but not confirmed for the film. Rumored to be set in an alternate multiverse timeline, which would explain their historical absence from the main Marvel Cinematic Universe, Matt Shakman (“WandaVision,” “Monarch: Legacy Of Monsters”) is set to direct “The Fantastic Four.” The film is currently scheduled for a July 25, 2025, release date.