Overview

• Gruffudd recalled that he and co-stars had signed a three-picture deal and expected to return for a third Fantastic Four installment after 2007’s Rise of the Silver Surfer
• He noted that both original films grossed over $300 million on budgets under $100 million, fueling momentum for the planned trilogy
• The actor told Vulture that the unexplained cancellation by 20th Century Fox was beyond his control and that he still has no insight into the decision
• His remarks coincide with the debut of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which has earned strong box office returns and positive reviews as it kicks off Phase Six
• Gruffudd expressed pride in his time as Reed Richards and praised Doug Jones’s Silver Surfer work even as he remains puzzled by the series’ premature end