The Marvel Cinematic Universe is gearing up to bring the final act of its ongoing Multiverse Saga to the screen. The franchise has been telling this particular story across the cinema screen and the Disney Plus streaming service for almost four years now, producing multiple larger-than-life movies and debuting a number of TV shows set within the same shared universe; all of which have focused on characters important to this new and ambitious storyline.
There has definitely been a lot more commitment required to keep up with the new characters and stories within the MCU since the Multiverse Saga began in Phase Four, but that hasn't been a problem for the franchise's most devoted fans. From future Young Avengers like Kate Bishop, Ms. Marvel, and Billy Maximoff to the larger-than-life Agatha Harkness, there have been plenty of wonderful new additions to the lore to complement the stalwarts of the Infinity Saga who are still with the franchise.
The saga will close with two major Avengers movies, and it sounds like those movies could involve a pretty major recast that may well just have major implications on how it all ends. Yes, that's a huge statement to make but you'll understand why in just a moment.
Marvel reportedly casting Franklin Richards for Avengers: Doomsday
According to veteran Marvel insider Daniel Richtman, Marvel Studios is currently in the process of casting the role of Franklin Richards. The character is now expected to appear in Avengers: Doomsday and the studio is reportedly looking for a 10-13 year old actor to play the role.
There is obviously a lot of information in this report and we will get into it, but what's most interesting about it is that Franklin Richards is already expected to appear in the MCU prior to that, reportedly debuting in The Fantastic Four: First Steps as a four-year old child. And, with that movie coming out so close to Avengers: Doomsday (and production on that one expected to begin next summer), there obviously wouldn't be enough time for any four-year old child to age up to 10 years old at that point.
What this does suggest is that Franklin Richards is expected to have a major role in closing out the Multiverse Saga. An appearance from the character in The Fantastic Four: First Steps makes sense; he is the son of Reed Richards, a.k.a. Mr. Fantastic, and Sue Storm. a.k.a. The Invisible Woman. However, aging him up for the Avengers movies does suggest he will be play a major role going forward, and quickly!
While we won't get into the specifics of how the advanced aging could take place (Wanda Maximoff's children were able to magically age themselves up in WandaVision), time travel, time jumps, or the multiverse itself could be involved in explaining that potential creative decision. What's worth paying attention to is the character's comic book journey and how that could make him an important part of the Multiverse Saga's concluding chapters.
In the comics, Franklin is one of the most powerful characters in the whole Marvel Universe. Much like the Scarlet Witch and her son, he has the ability to alter reality how he pleases and he also has advanced psionic abilities that make him even more powerful than an Omega-level mutant. And it doesn't get much more powerful than an Omega-level mutant, as X-Men fans would happily tell you!
Franklin was able to use these abilities to restore the multiverse after an incursion crisis in the comics and, well, given that the MCU is imminent danger of the collapse of the multiverse too, we'd say that makes him one of the most important players in the franchise right now.
As the creative process is ever-evolving when putting a movie (and an entire shared universe) together, it's important to take any rumors with a grain of salt. But given Franklin's importance to protecting the multiverse in the comics and the upcoming debut of the Fantastic Four, it sounds like there is a pretty good chance that he will make his presence felt on the MCU sooner rather than later.