There are lots of crazy rumors floating around the web today about Fox’s upcoming FANTASTIC FOUR reboot. I’m all for a reboot of the series, mostly because the previous films were really pretty god awful. However, I’m a little disappointed by what we’re hearing.
Let’s discuss, shall we?
Comic Book Movie is reporting that Fox is anxious to make the movie before they are forced to give the rights back to Marvel. The film will be a reboot of the franchise and will, again, tell the origin of the Fantastic Four but in the opening credits (ala THE INCREDIBLE HULK).
As for the story, this is what Comic Book Movie has to say:
The current screenplay for the Fantastic Four reboot tells a more dramatic tale of Marvel’s first superhero family, and will introduce audiences to a bevvy of characters not yet seen on film. Two characters from the previous franchise that will, at this point, make appearances (besides the central four heroes) are Doctor Doom and the Silver Surfer; though I am unsure as to the extent of their roles.
Now let’s talking about directors. The site says that Fox wants either David Yates (HARRY POTTER), Joe Carnahan (SMOKIN’ ACES, THE A-TEAM) or James McTeigue (V FOR VENDETTA, NINJA ASSASSIN) to helm the project. They’d be drastically different from Tim Story and his lighthearted approach to the material. Of all those directors Yates has the best performance record, thanks to that British boy wizard.
On to casting! Apparently Fox is looking at Adrien Brody or Jonathan Rhys Meyers for Reed Richards, former Emma Frost Alice Eve as Sue Storm and Kevin Pennington as Johnny Storm. Stephen Moyer has been rumored for Dr. Doom.
When it comes to The Thing, Fox is approaching the character in a different way. According to several sources, the studio is hellbent on recruiting either Bruce Willis or Kiefer Sutherland to play Ben Grimm a.k.a. The Thing. Seeing as how his transformation would take place during the opening credits, you wouldn’t see much of The Thing in human form. Unlike FANTASTIC FOUR and FANTASTIC FOUR: RISE OF THE SILVER SURFER, The Thing would be completely CG so Willis or Sutherland would mostly be lending their voices rather than their physiques. No big, bulky suits for those guys.
So we’re getting a more dramatic Fantastic Four film? Okay, I’m on board with that. Yet, the casting is a bit too obvious for me and the fact that this is a rush job is concerning. A lot could change before any formal announcements are made but I hope Fox is able to make a good Fantastic Four film. For once.
