Fantastic Four (2015)

[Kromm]

Yes, people in it are black.

Deal with it!

 

After watching it, I dunno about the Interdimensional stuff, except to note that maybe their origin has been mixed with The Neutral Zone stuff (which is also a big separate part of Fantastic Four history).

 

I like the way The Thing is done here, and it really makes me think that maybe this spin on FF is really playing up the rarely acknowledged "Elementals" aspect of FF, where:

 

Johnny/Firestorm = Fire (obvious)

Ben/The Thing = Earth

Sue/Invisible Woman = Air

Reed/Mr. Fantastic = Water (the least obvious, but not a stretch--heh--if you think about it)

 

These were always implicit in their concepts and I think just aren't always made obvious by the writing or the artwork/imagery.

[Dandesun]

This seems to borrowing some major points from Ultimate Fantastic Four... The beginning anyway and I don't think that's necessarily bad.

Hm.

[Jazzy24]

I'm excited for this!!!

[JessePinkman]

I really love that they made Sue the adopted one. Suck on that, racist fanboys! 

 

This actually looks good, it's dark and gritty but there are splashes of humor! I only wish it were part of the MCU, I could easily see this lineup incorporated into the MCU goings on, why can't FOX make a deal with Marvel??

 

A detail I liked was the fact that Reid's arm had some muscularity even when stretched, it doesn't just look like rubber.

[Kromm]

I really love that they made Sue the adopted one. Suck on that, racist fanboys! 

Black peoples are allowed to adopt white babies?  Since when?  I thought there was a law!!!

 

 

 

This actually looks good, it's dark and gritty but there are splashes of humor! I only wish it were part of the MCU, I could easily see this lineup incorporated into the MCU goings on, why can't FOX make a deal with Marvel??

A detail I liked was the fact that Reid's arm had some muscularity even when stretched, it doesn't just look like rubber.

I know.  Since it's a reboot anyway, and since it's not connected to the other Fox owned Marvel stuff, you'd think maybe they'd consider making a deal now that Sony will be setting a precedent (with Spider-Man).  Joining up to the MCU really only can HELP the Fox films, but I think they're too stubborn to even consider it.  I mean FF doesn't particularly depend on other superheroes, admittedly--I mean them being pretty much first out the gate is kind of part of the DNA of Marvel comics anyway, so you can always play them as sans other heroes in their origin story. But once you get past the origin film it would be nice to see them in a bigger playground.

[OakGoblinFly]

I'm not sure; Fantastic Four have never been one of my favorites - however I do like the actors in this version and I really like the fact that Jamie Bell is in a motion capture suite rather than a rubber costume. 

[Trini]

I like that the new trailer shows more of the personality and powers of the characters. I've heard a lot of negativity about this on other boards, but I'm more open-minded about a different take on the Fantastic Four. (Then again, I'm only familiar with the basics of characters.) The only thing I might be hesitant about is that I'm unfamiliar with this director.

[Kromm]

In THEORY Fantastic Four is one of the absolute pinnacles of Marvel.  It's just never been realized as well as it could be--although the Silver Surfer movie (the second one of the last set) actually was FAR better than it's (fairly shabby) predecessor.  

 

It's got some of the best characters and themes.  There's real pathos with The Thing when played right, for example.  It's like the Hulk story, except that Thing isn't some raging uncontrollable beast--he's fully himself as Ben Grimm and the general public is just terrified/disgusted by him (something that's totally gone with the character later in his existence but in the earliest stories he looks more primitive--which this new movie look has approximated--and the default reaction really is supposed to be horror).  Johnny is a great character too--the comic allowed him to be something of a jackass and it worked because they also set him on the right side of being brave and self-sacrificing.  Sue in the early stories was always something of a (pardon the phrase) Mary Sue, so a slightly later day view of her is probably necessary, but it seems to change the equation a bit to go with the Ultimate Fantastic Four version where her father is still around (at least when the story starts).  Reed's always been a good character, although I personally never have liked the wunderkid alternate version of him forced by the Ultimate Fantastic Four version, because it kind of makes him snotty and not very leader-like (maybe that's the bone needed to prop up Sue though, since she takes up that slack and Reed is just the brain less than the leader).  

[JBC344]

Love that he said this.  Hate that it needed to be said.

 

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/fantastic-fours-michael-b-jordan-790439

[Dandesun]

Good for him.

 

When he was announced as Johnny Storm I just figured that Sue was going to black as well and I was interested in that because I felt it was a good thing to make the switch. Why not? Then I heard that Sue was going to be white and I was all 'Okay... adoption or whatever. Cool.'

 

But I really like that it's Sue who's adopted. They threw me for several loops simply because I didn't not expect this of Hollywood. The Fantastic Four has never been my comic book jam but I think I would like to check this movie out.

[Lord Kira]

Don't really care about the race thing. Maybe if I was interested in seeing this, I"d have more of an opinion on it. But I have no interest in a dark and serious take on the young Fantastic Four. It feels like they should be calling this the Grounded Four.

 

Making Doom an anti-social programmer/blogger? No thanks.

 

Besides, it is no secret that FOX rushed this into production because if they didn't make a movie by 2015 the rights would go back to Marvel. (I don't think FOX was too happy that they had to give the rights to Daredevil and The Punisher back.)

Edited April 22, 2015 by Lord Kira

[Dandesun]

The situation with Doom is the biggest turn off for me. Doom is such a great character that... this troubles me. Granted, he's also ripe for mocking. I love the Lego Marvel Super-Heroes game where he unveils his new weapon. "Dr. Doom's Doom Ray of DOOM!" But the Lego side of things has always been a bit more silly.

 

I digress... the point is that Doom is one that FOX has not gotten right yet and it appears they will continue to not get him right. Frustrating.

[Bruinsfan]

I'm willing to be convinced by a completely new take on Doom. The thing I'm most dubious about going in (aside from the overall tone, which IMHO should be like The Incredibles, not Cronenberg's The Fly) is Miles Teller being able to portray Reed Richards with enough intelligence and gravitas to preserve the core of the character.

[HoodlumSheep]

Based on the newest trailer, I don't know if I'll like the guy who plays Reed. I feel like the quick Reed/Sue bits in the trailer showed no chemistry between the actors. But then again, these were just small bits, so I'll try not to judge until I've seen the movie. i'm fine with the changes, and I think Sue being the adopted kid is a nice twist. I wasn't expecting to see Doom in this movie though for some reason, but oh well.

[LeighAnne]

Courtesy of Flicks and the City, here is the Fantastic Four panel at the 2015 San Diego Comic Con:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HxGdRn3tkg

 

 

[beetnemesis]

Trailer looks fine to me. I have been on the fence about this movie. Thing, Sue and even the Torch look well conceived. I cannot buy that as Reed Richards and that is not Victor Von Doom. I can accept that they are going for the Ultimate Fantastic Four vibe with younger characters, but I am especially not feeling Reed. Maybe that will change after the movie.

Edited July 23, 2015 by stacey

[Impish Dragon]

Trailer looks fine to me. I have been on the fence about this movie. Thing, Sue and even the Torch look well conceived. I cannot buy that as Reed Richards and that is not Victor Von Doom. I can accept that they are going for the Ultimate Fantastic Four vibe with younger characters, but I am especially not feeling Reed. Maybe that will change after the movie.

I've totally been on the fence about seeing this one as well.  For me, it's the younger characters that make it iffy.  I went out to dinner with my dad tonight and the trailer for this came on.  I told him I wasn't sure if I wanted to see it because the characters seem to young or I'm just getting old.  His response..."Both." 

[JBC344]

I also keep hearing the "younger cast" issue being talked about, that I admit I'm a little confused on.  Are the characters really that much younger than they are supposed to be?  Are we basing this on the comic book ages of the characters and not the previous movies I'm assuming? 

 

Yeah Ian Gruffold and Michael Chiklis were older but Kate Mara and Michael B. Jordan are older now than when Jessica Alba and Chris Evans played the roles.

[Bruinsfan]

Sue and Johnny are supposed to be considerably younger than Reed and Ben, with Johnny having been in his late teens at the time of the origin story.

 

That said, it's really Reed's (lack of) age and skepticism about Miles Teller being able to convince me he's the world's smartest man that are making me dubious about the movie. Bell and Jordan may not be perfect casting like Chicklis and Evans were, but they'll probably be serviceable, and Mara looks to be a significant improvement if they want to convince me that Sue Storm is also a brilliant scientist.

[JessePinkman]

Mara looks to be a significant improvement if they want to convince me that Sue Storm is also a brilliant scientist.

 

And white.

 

Jessica Alba's whiteface in the original movies was by far the most frightening special effect in a comic book movie.

[CMH1981]

I have an issue w/ Miles Teller playing Reed.  I can't stand the kid, in almost every movie I've seen him in I just can't stand him.  The only film I enjoy him in is Rabbit Hole w/ Nicole Kidman.  To be honest, the main reason I can't stand the guy is the comments he made while promoting the movie 21 & Over.  He had issues w/the man on man kissing and was against it and vocal about it, but the scene where he gets spanked bare-assed by another guy he was okay w/.  

 

I think this movie looks horrible and I hope it fails so the rights might possibly go back to the Marvel, but Miles is what really turns me off in this film.

[stealinghome]

I really WANT this movie to be good, because I like Jordan, Mara, and Bell, but I am not hopeful. At this point, mostly I'm hoping that if it bombs, they escape the worst of the stink.

 

Agree that Teller (who I'd never heard of before his casting here) looks like the weak link. Every time I see the previews I think Bell should be playing Reed and Teller should be playing Ben.

[CMH1981]

This movie really is a double-edged sword.  If it makes a crap-ton of money, even if the movie sucks in general, then FOX keeps the rights.  If it bombs, Marvel/Disney might get the rights back eventually but there will be major talk that the reason nobody turned out for the film is b/c they cast a black actor for Johnny Storm.  It sucks, as I really doubt that would be the reason people stay away as only die-hard fans would really care, but it's the world we live in right now.  My fear is the movie bombs, and then Singer decides to go ahead and do his X-Men/FF movie that he wants, therefore the rights are held up for even longer.  

 

I really think FOX would be willing to give the rights back over if Disney didn't basically buy Star Wars out from under them.

[Kromm]

And white.

 

Jessica Alba's whiteface in the original movies was by far the most frightening special effect in a comic book movie.

There have been worse. I mean although Alba self-identifies as Latino, genetically she's apparently only about 25%.

[JessePinkman]

There have been worse. I mean although Alba self-identifies as Latino, genetically she's apparently only about 25%.

 

You get what I meant though, right? They give her those creepy contacts and her hair was ridiculously blonde in the second movie. It went into uncanny valley territory. 

 

Bell seems really miscast as Ben, he's so slight and Ben is big even in human form.

[ribboninthesky1]

I've no interest in this film, but it's sad there was controversy around Michael Jordan's casting when the total miscasts seem to be Teller and Bell.  I haven't seen Teller in much, but I caught a Divergent interview with him and Jai Courtney.  He made some kind of "joke" about Jai's mom, and it was supposed to be funny, but I kept mentally willing Courtney to punch him in the face.  Alas, Courtney kept it classy, and Teller has bugged me ever since. 

[OakGoblinFly]

Teller is the big question mark for me (though I did think he was quite good in Whiplash) - I rarely pay attention to the off-screen antics of the actors so I do not have the negative perception of Teller that others do.  I'll wait and see on Teller. <shrug>

 

I have no concerns about Jamie Bell (slight though he may be) - he is a good actor and I think he will do well as Ben/Thing.  Mara and Jordan are also good choices.  

 

I like the look of the trailer; I don't mind the ages skewing younger; and I don't even mind the idea of inter-dimensional travel.  I've heard conflicting reports regarding Doom, so I'll reserve judgement on him until the film is released.

Bell seems really miscast as Ben, he's so slight and Ben is big even in human form.

 

 

Jamie Bell uses his entire face and body when he acts, so I can see why the powers-that-be wanted him to be The Thing/Ben.  I also like the idea of smallish Bell unleashing his "inner beast" as the Thing.  I know interviews said Bell used his dance training to help him move "big" when he was in the motion capture suit (another promising aspect of the film - use of a motion capture suit (acted by Bell) and NOT a funny rubber suit).

[Wiendish Fitch]

Reviews for The Fantastic Four are Embargoed Until Release.

 

The article has since been updated, but it still doesn't inspire confidence in me. Too bad, I was willing to give it a shot. Then again, I remember being excited for Serena...

[Bruinsfan]

At this point they just need to show Doctor Doom pulling off his mask to reveal he's Johnny Depp in white greasepaint.

[JBC344]

Seriously, really in 2015, we are still baffled at interracial families?

 

https://www.yahoo.com/movies/s/michael-b-jordan-kate-mara-field-offensive-questions-040028375.html

 

I like to think I am a very fair and objective person who likes to see an argument from all sides, but I really just don't get it.  I still can't wrap my head around the idea that you can believe in a world where super powers can exist but what throws you for a loop is a black and white brother and sister.  Wow.

[Kromm]

Seriously, really in 2015, we are still baffled at interracial families?

 

https://www.yahoo.com/movies/s/michael-b-jordan-kate-mara-field-offensive-questions-040028375.html

 

I like to think I am a very fair and objective person who likes to see an argument from all sides, but I really just don't get it.  I still can't wrap my head around the idea that you can believe in a world where super powers can exist but what throws you for a loop is a black and white brother and sister.  Wow.

You know what?  If they simply introduce them as brother and sister and DON'T explain it?  Big deal.  The fact that people might wonder which of the many obvious explanations is the one doesn't mean they're not smart enough to figure out the possibilities themselves. "How does that happen?" is not something that's going to be going through any mind other than that of total schmucks.

 

That said, it probably also wouldn't hurt the film to explain it. But with the 5 second throw away line that's all that it deserves. Because you know... this IS more about telling a story rather than making a social statement. Explaining someone's parentage is logical for the story, even if only an idiot would need the possibilities explained to them.

[caracas1914]

Miles Teller saying in a junket interview that big budget movies of this type dont generally get good reviews?

Awkward to say the least.

[Kromm]

The reviews I've seen aren't great.

 

Rotten Tomatoes aggregate score for it is 14%.

 

Oh well. Maybe next reboot.

[caracas1914]

It was plainly a FOX rushed job so the rights wouldn't resort back to Marvel, which begs the question, why bother?

Such a pity because really the FF were the cornerstone of the 60's Marvel golden era so you would think they could finally get it right.

Haven't they yet learned re doing "origin" stories isn't enough, you need an actual SL.

[CMH1981]

I'm hoping since the Deadpool movie looks awesome based on the trailer that FOX will be okay w/ letting the Fantastic Four go back to Marvel/Disney at this point.  They have the three superhero franchises they want...X-Men / Wolverine / Deadpool.

[shrewd.buddha]

I feel for the actors who have to go on interviews to promote a movie they themselves have not seen yet. That's got to be tough. 

 

One of the foursome said they were going to watch it for the first time at the Friday premier, along with the audience. I think that would be nerve wracking,  not knowing what footage was going to end up in the film and how the crowd would react to it... 

 

Do actors get paid extra for promotional duties? 

[JessePinkman]

Promotional duties are built into their contracts.

 

Did the movie now have a premiere? How have they not seen? What a mess. I can't be THAT bad.

[shrewd.buddha]

The embargo for some reviewers has been lifted. But the actors have been giving interviews saying they have not yet seen it. 

 

"Fantastic Four" star Miles Teller, who admitted he hasn't seen the film himself, revealed that he doesn't expect the film to do well critically but hopes audiences will recognize the originality of this latest adaptation during an interview with BBC Newsbeat.

Edited August 5, 2015 by shrewd.buddha

[caracas1914]

Miles should shut his mouth about critical notices, at best he comes off as a disingenuous tool.

Edited August 5, 2015 by caracas1914

[AimingforYoko]

Miles should shut his mouth about critical notices, at best he comes off as a disingenuous tool.

You know, I thought JK Simmons was joking when he thanked Miles Teller for "Giving me the motivation to beat the crap out of him every day." in his Oscar acceptance speech, but now I think he was speaking truth.

[Bruinsfan]

The lead-up to this movie is making me wish Simmons had managed to slip a metal plate into his hand before a few of those slaps.

[CMH1981]

I love JK Simmons, but my dislike for Miles Teller is the main reason I haven't rented the movie Whiplash at this point.

[caracas1914]

The reviews are beyond brutal, with Rolling Stone's Peter Travers calling it "worse than worthless."

[Craphole Island]

I actually feel bad for the cast, particularly Kate Mara and Michael B. Jordan (both of whom I really like). I'm not too familiar with Jamie Bell, and while I think he's a good actor, Miles Teller rubs me the wrong way.

 

I wasn't expecting great reviews but I wasn't expecting THIS. Yeesh.

[Kromm]

So will this repeat the pattern of the last franchise version, where a fairly badly received first movie (not THIS bad though) was followed by a surprisingly decent second film?

 

Or is the reaction SO brutal this time they just give up and rest the property for another half decade or so?

 

In a perfect world, this horrible failure might lead to them making a deal with Marvel similar to the Sony-Spidey deal and make it their problem now (which given the tightly packed Marvel schedule would probably still only mean another reboot around 2020, after The Inhumans in 2019).  But I think Fox is too stubborn to do that.

[Demented Daisy]

So will this repeat the pattern of the last franchise version, where a fairly badly received first movie (not THIS bad though) was followed by a surprisingly decent second film?

 

Or is the reaction SO brutal this time they just give up and rest the property for another half decade or so?

 

In a perfect world, this horrible failure might lead to them making a deal with Marvel similar to the Sony-Spidey deal and make it their problem now (which given the tightly packed Marvel schedule would probably still only mean another reboot around 2020, after The Inhumans in 2019).  But I think Fox is too stubborn to do that.

 

Oh, I disagree.  Considering what they've done with the FF comics, I have no faith in what they might do with a movie.  Frankly, they're spread too thin as it is, I think.  (I read somewhere that they have a deal with Netflix to put out a new series every 6 months.  The mind boggles.)

[Eegah]

So it's official, the Roger Corman version that no one was ever supposed to even see is still the best FF movie.

[Craphole Island]

Apparently FOX is close to a deal with Marvel to get the rights to do an X-Men TV show, but they haven't quite closed it. I wouldn't be surprised if they are waiting to see how this performs, and then they make a trade-off. Give Marvel FF properties back in order to do some X-Men TV shows, and maybe some other smaller things they do not currently have the rights for.

[Kromm]

So it's official, the Roger Corman version that no one was ever supposed to even see is still the best FF movie.

I suppose among the animated versions there must have been a 2 parter or something we could off-hand refer to as a "movie", right?

 

Not that animated FF has been top of the trees either, but I seem to recall the 2006ish version being at least okay (and that it was made by Marvel Studios, not Fox).

[Bruinsfan]

While I had problems with the two FF movies in the 2000s, the perfect casting for Ben Grimm and Johnny Storm made up for a lot. (And Ioan Griffud was fine as long as he wasn't dancing.)