Ioan Gruffudd blames external factors for ‘Fantastic Four’ sequel cancellation

Ioan Gruffudd recently opened up about the cancelled third installment of the original Fantastic Four franchise, following the release of Marvel’s new reboot, The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

The 51-year-old actor, known for his portrayal of Mister Fantastic in the 2005 action-sci-fi film, reflected on the unfulfilled promise of a third installment in the original franchise.

In an exclusive Q&A with Vulture, the Titanic star said, “I was incredibly proud to be part of such a beautiful franchise. The mindset 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.”

Later in the conversation, Gruffudd shared his experience working with his Fantastic Four co-stars.

Speaking to the outlet, he said, “I particularly loved working with Doug Jones [who played the Silver Surfer] on that movie, who’s just 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.”

Expressing his confusion over the scrapped plans for a third installment, the Forever alum added, “The plan was to do three movies, but these decisions are beyond my control.”

This revelation came shortly after a rebooted version of Fantastic Four hit the big screen.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps, starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn, was released on Friday, July 25.

For the unversed, the original Fantastic Four franchise consists of two films – Fantastic Four (2005) and its 2007 sequel, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.