Is Thanos Replacing Reed Richards in This Horror Movie?

Pedro Pascal was set to dive into Zach Cregger’s (Barbarian) next film but due to conflicts, we might have a different Marvel star taking over the reins. Josh Brolin (a.k.a. Thanos) is in talks to replace Pascal and make his horror film debut in Weapons.

Weapons was originally set to film in 2023. But with the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, the film was delayed and now overlaps with Pascal’s new schedule for Fantastic Four. Unfortunately, Pascal’s commitment to the role of Reed Richards makes the collaboration with Cregger impossible. I’m disappointed because I loved Cregger’s film Barbarian and I was excited to see Pascal team up with the talented director.

But still, Brolin is a talented and capable actor with a long-running career. He starred in The Goonies as Brand, he was Cable in Deadpool 2, and he played Llewyn Moss in No Country for Old Men. For all his work in film and television, Brolin has barely dipped his toe in the horror genre. Just roles in movies that can have frightening elements (Mimic, Hollow Man, Nightwatch) but are, at their core, not horror movies.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the movie is a “multi and inter-related story horror epic that tonally is in the vein of Magnolia, the 1999 actor-crammed showcase from filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson.” Brolin would be an exciting addition and I’m curious to see how Cregger subverts our expectations of the actor.

Will we be able to trust Brolin?

One of my favorite things about Barbarian is the film’s use of Bill Skarsgård. Often seen as frightening (thanks to his performance as Pennywise in the It films), Skarsgård rarely plays “normal” chill guys. Barbarian used this to its advantage, positioning him as a potential threat to Tess (Georgina Campbell) but the reality was … way weirder and more disturbing.

The inverse of that dynamic is embodied by Justin Long’s A.J., who harbors his own dark secrets. Barbarian’s shifting perspective constantly keeps us guessing, and I’m excited to see how Brolin will be utilized in Weapons.

He’s not similar to Pascal, but both actors can be fun and quirky as well as serious cowboy action stars. Whatever Weapons has in store for me, I’m ready for it.

(featured image: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)