Ioan Gruffudd starred in 2005’s “Fantastic Four” and the follow-up “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer” before plans for a third film were canned, something he told Vulture was “beyond my control” despite fan disappointment. In an interview published July 30, Gruffudd explained, “The mind-set was that we were going to do three, and I think the second movie was equally successful as the first and equally enjoyable for the fans. I particularly loved working with Doug Jones [as the Silver Surfer] on that movie, who’s just a terrific artist and an expert in the field of movement.” “If you want to witness somebody bringing a character to life physically, he’s just untouchable. So there was definitely that sort of momentum, and the plan was to do three movies, but these decisions are beyond my control.” Gruffudd starred as Mister Fantastic in both films, the role that’s played by Pedro Pascal in 2025’s “The Fantastic Four: First Steps.” He told the outlet he entered a period of grief after finding out he’d no longer play the character. “As an actor, you almost grieve every part that you’ve played, and this was no different,” Gruffudd said. “This was a massive stepping-stone in my career, and because this was two movies over several years, the character becomes part of you. So I think the grieving process is that you’ve enjoyed the character so much and you’re not getting to play them again.” And despite fan theories, Gruffudd also made it clear he has not “been approached to reprise Mister Fantastic” in any way … yet.