During the press tour for his latest film Marmalade, Joe Keery had a moment of true cinematic history—or at least, a moment of Movie Dweeb history—when he found out, live in our interview, that his Stranger Things co-star Joseph Quinn had officially been cast as Marvel’s Human Torch.
“That’s an official thing now?” Keery asked, after years of speculation and fan-casting. And when it was confirmed? “I think, for all Joes, that this is a good thing.”
A bold statement. I’m sure it’s great for Joseph Quinn, and probably for Joe Keery himself, but does this affect Joe Biden? Joe Pesci? Who’s to say? But when Joe Keery speaks, we listen.
“This is fantastic. It’s official. That’s great. I gotta text him right now. I’m going to text him.”
Sensing an opportunity to dig a little deeper, I got a bit cocky and pressed Keery for more juicy details—had he secretly known about Quinn’s casting for ages but kept it under wraps because, y’know, Marvel?
“I didn’t know if it was official. Sometimes, you don’t want to pry. I didn’t want to jinx it for him, as a fellow Joe.”
He then doubled down on his enthusiasm: “That’s cool. That’s so cool. I wonder where they shoot that.”
The Fantastic Casting That Set the Internet Ablaze
It was officially announced on Valentine’s Day (a true love letter to fans) that Joseph Quinn would be suiting up as Johnny Storm, a.k.a. The Human Torch, in The Fantastic Four. He joins Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm. The film, originally slated for a May 2025 release, swapped dates with Thunderbolts* and will now hit theaters on July 25, 2025.
Joe Keery wasn’t the only star I’ve quizzed about The Fantastic Four. In previous interviews, I put the same question to both Jon Hamm and Glenn Howerton; asking them both if they could see themselves portray Reed Richards. Howerton, ever the generous man, even offered me a sizable portion of his paycheck if he landed the role. Still waiting on that paycheck, Glenn… but it’s the thought that counts!
What’s Marmalade All About?
Before Joe Keery was contemplating superhero movie locations, he was busy promoting his latest film, Marmalade, a stylish crime thriller with a hint of dark comedy. The film follows a small-time crook (Keery) who, while locked up in prison, recounts the elaborate story of how he and the love of his life (Camila Morrone) planned a daring bank heist. The film also stars Aldis Hodge, adding even more charisma to an already stellar cast.
With Marmalade heating up screens and The Fantastic Four casting setting the internet on fire, it’s safe to say that both Keery and Quinn have some fantastic things on the horizon. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to pitch a Stranger Things reunion in the MCU. Call me, Marvel!
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