The recently released synopsis for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania debunks one Reed Richards fan theory. Since the announcement of the MCU tackling a Fantastic Four movie, fan discourse online has often reverted to one specific query: who will be playing each member of the MCU's iteration of the team? From Penn Badgley to John Krasinski and Diego Luna, the topic of Reed Richards' fan casting has often taken center stage.
John Krasinski was arguably the most widely accepted fan cast, with fans calling for Krasinski and his wife Emily Blunt to play Reed Richards and Sue Storm for many years. This was only bolstered by his surprise Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness as Earth-838's Mister Fantastic. While it is becoming less likely that Krasinski will play the MCU's version of the character, one of the other actors in the running seems to have been debunked by Disney itself.
Ant-Man 3 Synopsis Ends William Jackson Harper As Reed Richards Theory
That actor is William Jackson Harper, who has long been circulating fan theories of Reed Richards' castings. The official synopsis from Disney confirms that Harper is playing a character named Quaz. This tracks with a rumor reported on Comicbook.com in November 2022 that Quaz is a telepathic rebel who fights against Kang's conquest of the Quantum Realm. While the character's role in of plot specifics is yet to be confirmed, the synopsis found on the Walt Disney Company's website confirms that Quaz is indeed an Ant-Man 3 character played by Harper, debunking the Reed Richards theories.
Could William Jackson Harper Be Playing A Secret MCU Hero?
This confirmation came alongside confirmation of Bill Murray's Ant-Man 3 role. In of Harper, If indeed the character is confirmed to align with the rumors and will fight against Kang's regime in the Quantum Realm, there is potential that he is playing a secret Marvel Comics hero. Specifically, Quasar, a character known for possessing powerful weapons called the Quantum Bands, devices that allow him to manipulate Quantum Energy. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania could reveal that Quaz is short for Quasar, introducing the Marvel hero to the MCU in secret.
If Harper's character is revealed to have Quantum Realm powers of sorts, this could be a way for the MCU to take the usual liberties they do with Marvel Comics characters. While not being a one-for-one copy, Quasar being introduced as a Quantum Realm resident would explain the comic powers of the Quantum Bands, which could even be introduced in the film. This would also link to a Ms. Marvel fan theory that the titular character's bangles were Quantum Bands, helping tie the Multiverse Saga closer together through Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
