Overview

• Ioan Gruffudd says the original films were conceived as a three-part series and that he and co-stars Jessica Alba, Chris Evans and Michael Chiklis were under contract for a third installment.
• Both Fantastic Four (2005) and Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007) grossed over $300 million worldwide, yet Fox declined to greenlight the trilogy’s conclusion despite box office success.
• The actor told Vulture that those studio decisions were beyond his control and that he remains uncertain why the third movie never moved forward.
• Following Disney’s 2019 acquisition of the Fantastic Four rights, Marvel Studios rebooted the franchise with The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which premiered in July 2025.
• Gruffudd remains proud of his portrayal of Reed Richards and notes there are no announced plans to revisit or complete the original trilogy.