‘Fantastic Four’ star Joseph Quinn says he has ‘big shoes’ to fill as Human Torch after Chris Evans

The 2005 Fantastic Four movie starring Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, Michael Chiklis, and Ioan Gruffudd did little to live up to the first word of its title. Despite a solid box office performance, the film was widely panned by critics, even earning Alba a Razzie nomination for her role as Susan Storm.

But Joseph Quinn, who’s taking over for Evans as Johnny Storm (a.k.a. the Human Torch) in Marvel’s upcoming Fantastic Four movie, tells Entertainment Weekly that he’s a fan of the future Captain America’s take on the flaming superhero in the film and its 2007 sequel.

“I remember really enjoying Chris Evans’s performance as Johnny in the previous films, and it felt like this would be a really exciting opportunity; I was absolutely signed up,” says the actor, who will be seen in this summer’s A Quiet Place: Day One.

When asked whether Evans’ version of the character was on his mind when he auditioned, Quinn clarifies, “No. I mean, you’re going to make it your own.” Still, he adds, “It’s big boots [to fill].”

Besides himself as Johnny Storm, Quinn’s Fantastic Four is comprised of Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/The Invisible Woman, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing. Ozark star Julia Garner also joins the cast as Shalla-Bal, a version of the classic comics character the Silver Surfer.

“I knew that they’d been talking about making the Fantastic Four in the Marvel Universe for a while,” Quinn says. “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.”

For Quinn, appearing alongside that all-star cast was an important factor in taking on the role. “Working with Vanessa, Pedro, Evan — they’re really consummate pros and brilliant in everything they’re in,” he says. “So I’m really looking forward to establishing this familial dynamic with them and with Matt Shakman’s guidance.”

Just as that familial aspect of the story drew Quinn to the role, he hopes it will also attract audiences who might be growing tired of the genre. With lukewarm responses to recent Marvel offerings like The Marvels and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, critics have wondered if audiences are experiencing so-called “superhero fatigue.”

“I think that with the story of the Fantastic Four, it feels like we want to get this right,” Quinn says when asked about those 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.”

He adds, “Superhero movies are movies about people. 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.” 

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