Josh Trank has added a bit more diversity to his Fantastic Four reboot by casting veteran actor Reg E. Cathey (House of Cards, The Wire) as Dr. Storm, the father of Johnny and Sue Storm, played by Michael B. Jordan and Kate Mara, respectively.
Cathey’s casting means it will actually be Sue who’s the adopted sibling in the Storm family, which I’m sure will only re-spark some of the controversy surrounding the casting of Jordan (which stemmed from his race). Frankly, I think this is a smart and bold move by Trank, and actually gives some credence to the rumors circulating about the titular superhero team’s origins.
In the Ultimate universe of Marvel comics, which has been name-dropped as inspiration for this reboot, Dr. Storm is involved in the science project that ultimately creates the Fantastic Four. He also works with a doctor named Harvey Elder, who gets fired from the program and then becomes Mole Man. Last week we heard that Tim Blake Nelson had been cast as Elder, and that this film would set him up as Mole Man in future sequels.
So, assuming that Trank does in fact use the Ultimate universe as a guide, Dr. Storm could very well be the man who creates Mr. Fantastic, the Invisible Woman, the Human Torch, and the Thing.
No matter what happens with his character in the film, Cathey is a solid actor and should be a great addition to the Fantastic Four reboot.
