The Cast of 2005's “Fantastic Four”: Where Are They Now?

See what the stars of the superhero blockbuster are up to today

Almost 20 years after the Fantastic Four’s premiere, its superheroes are still superstars!

The 2005 adaptation of the beloved Marvel comics depicted the origin story of the foursome, played by Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans and Michael Chiklis. Fantastic Four also featured Julian McMahon as the movie’s antagonist, Victor von Doom (also known as Doctor Doom) and Kerry Washington as the love interest to Chiklis’ Ben Grimm, Alicia Masters.

A box office success, the 20th Century Fox blockbuster received a follow-up in 2007 titled Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. Ten years after the original’s release, the series was rebooted with a new cast consisting of Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan, Kate Mara and Jamie Bell. Another iteration of the team will appear in a 2025 edition of the movie.

Although they’ve stepped away from the superhero Spandex, the stars of Fantastic Four still have plenty of feats to tout. Catch up with the actors of the hit 2005 movie below.

Ioan Gruffudd as Reed Richards / Mister Fantastic

Ioan Gruffudd was fantastic — literally — in the film. As Mister Fantastic, the leader of the titular squad, he possessed a genius intellect and the ability of unlimited elasticity. After Fantastic Four, the Titanic actor starred alongside Julia Roberts and Ryan Reynolds in Fireflies in the Garden and played Prime Minister Tony Blair opposite Josh Brolin’s George W. Bush in W.

Much of his success as a leading man, however, has come in the television space. He starred as immortal medical examiner Dr. Henry Morgan in the fantasy crime show Forever and as surgeon Andrew Earlham in the thriller series Liar. He remained in the doctor niche with the medical drama Harrow, which ran from 2018 to 2021.

Of whether he would return to the Marvel universe, he told Digital Spy, “I would love that.”

“Maybe [I could play] a baddie, this time?” the San Andreas actor added. “Now that I've established myself as somebody who can do that, that would be great.”

Gruffudd, now 50, shares two daughters — Elsie and Ella — with ex-wife Alice Evans, whom he met on the set of 2000’s 102 Dalmatians. He petitioned for divorce in 2021 and later filed a domestic violence restraining order against Evans ordering her to stay 100 yards away from him and his girlfriend, Bianca Wallace. In 2024, he revealed his engagement to Wallace in a joint Instagram post.

Jessica Alba as Sue Storm / Invisible Woman

After her silver screen breakout performance in the 2003 film Honey, Jessica Alba cemented herself as a movie star with her portrayal of Sue Storm, or the Invisible Woman. Speaking to ComicBooks.com in June 2024, the Dark Angel actress said she has “nothing but fond memories” of working on Fantastic Four.

“It was great and she was such a cool, inspiring character and ahead of her time, I would say, in the genre,” she said of Sue. “And still, you still haven't seen someone who is so nurturing and feminine, but then also a fearsome badass. I haven't seen that combination again. And so I think she still fills this beautiful kind of space or void in the Marvel universe."

Working on the film also introduced Alba to her future husband, Cash Warren, who was director Tim Story’s assistant. The two became engaged in December 2007 and wed shortly after in May 2008. They share three children: daughters Honor Marie, born in June 2008, and Haven Garner, born in 2011, and son Hayes, born in December 2017.

The actress, 43, went on to star in the 2008 horror The Eye, the 2010 rom-com Valentine’s Day and the 2016 action thriller Mechanic: Resurrection. She also collaborated closely with director Robert Rodriguez, working with him on five films, including Sin City.

Chris Evans as Johnny Storm / Human Torch

Marvel fans might know Chris Evans best as Captain America, but before he assumed the super soldier’s mantle, he played Johnny Storm, or the Human Torch. The 2005 role holds a soft spot in Evans’ heart, and in a 2022 MTV News interview, the actor said reprising his Fantastic Four character would be an “easier sell” than coming back as Captain America.

“Johnny Storm, I feel like he didn’t really get his day,” Evans explained. “That was before Marvel really found its footing. So, I loved that role and, you know, who knows?”

Outside of comic book adaptations, Evans is known for his antagonist roles in 2010’s Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and 2019’s Knives Out. He has several projects lined up in the upcoming year: a Christmas action movie with Dwayne Johnson, an ensemble comedy with Margaret Qualley and Aubrey Plaza and a rom-com with Dakota Johnson.

Evans married Portuguese actress Alba Baptista in an intimate Cape Cod wedding on Sept. 9, 2023. The ceremony was attended by several of his Marvel costars, including Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth and Jeremy Renner.

Named PEOPLE’s Sexiest Man Alive in 2022, Evans, 43, reflected on his future family life, admitting kids are “absolutely something” he wants.

“When you read about most of the best artists, whether it's actors, painters, writers, most of them [admit] it wasn't the work they made [that they are most proud of], it was about the relationships, the families they created, the love they found, the love they shared,” the Avengers star elaborated.

Michael Chiklis as Ben Grimm / The Thing

Already an Emmy winner, Michael Chiklis brought a dramatic edge to his performance as Ben Grimm, also known as The Thing.

When rumors arose that The Shield star would reprise his role in the 2025 version of Fantastic Four, he took to Instagram to shut them down: “FYI folks… This is a FAKE,” he wrote under a purported photo of him in costume on set. “Sorry to disappoint. So many people have asked about it, I feel it’s necessary to clear this up.”

After Fantastic Four, The Commish actor led the TV series No Ordinary Family and Vegas, and he also appeared in the fourth season of American Horror Story, titled Freak Show. He didn’t stray from the comic book world, either, playing Capt. Nathaniel Barnes in Gotham and voicing Slade Wilson in Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons.

For over three decades, Chiklis, 60, has been married to wife Michelle Chiklis (née Moran), and the couple have two daughters together: Autumn, born in 1993, and Odessa, born in 1999. In June 2024, his eldest daughter married actor Dor Gvirtsman. On Live with Kelly and Mark, Michael choked up discussing Autumn’s nuptials.

“We’re rehearsing the 'daddy and me' dance," Chiklis said, referring to their father-daughter dance to “You’ll Be in My Heart” by Phil Collins. "Oh you’ve got a clip. I’m dying. I’m crying right now ... It’s happening to me right now. She’s just magnificent. You should see her in her gown. It’s just too much."

Julian McMahon as Victor von Doom / Doctor Doom

Julian McMahon loved being the bad guy. In the film, the actor played Victor von Doom, who later becomes the evil scientist and sorcerer Doctor Doom due to the same cosmic radiation that transformed the Fantastic Four. In a 2015 interview with ComicBook.com, the actor expressed his desire for a second go at the role.

“I could play him the way I always wanted to, as a sniveling, conniving, freaky guy, I would do that for sure. The character I most want to play is the character I've already played!” revealed McMahon.

Between 2003 and 2010, McMahon had a leading role in Ryan Murphy’s FX medical drama Nip/Tuck, in which he played plastic surgeon Dr. Christian Troy opposite Dylan Walsh. He has since starred in the 2018 comedy-drama Swinging Party, the police procedural FBI: Most Wanted and the 2024 psychological thriller The Surfer with Nicolas Cage.

McMahon, 56, shares a daughter with ex-wife Brooke Burns and remarried for the third time in 2014 to Kelly Paniagua.

Kerry Washington as Alicia Masters

Kerry Washington’s accomplished career included a superhero movie stint as Alicia Masters, a blind sculptor who is the love interest to Chiklis’ The Thing. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly ahead of the Fantastic Four sequel, Washington said that the studio was “looking for White actresses” for Alicia until she asked about opening the role up.

“Now, when you watch the Fantastic Four cartoon, Alicia Masters is Black. That’s huge,” the actress said.

Her iconic portrayal of crisis management expert Olivia Pope in ABC’s Scandal landed her two Emmy nominations, one Golden Globe nod and widespread notoriety. She also nabbed two more Emmy nominations for her role as Anita Hill in HBO’s Confirmation and Mia Warren in Little Fires Everywhere, opposite Reese Witherspoon.

She currently leads the Hulu comedy UnPrisoned as a therapist with a large social media following. Next year, Washington is set to appear in the third installment of the Knives Out series, Wake Up Dead Man, alongside Daniel Craig, Josh O’Connor, Glenn Close, Andrew Scott, Jeremy Renner, Josh Brolin and Mila Kunis.

Washington, 47, married former football player Nnamdi Asomugha in a 2013 Idaho ceremony that an attendee described as “simple and sweet.” The couple have welcomed two children together: Isabelle Amarchi, born in 2014 and Caleb Kelechi, born in 2016. They are also parents to Asomugha’s daughter from a previous relationship.

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