In case you missed it, here is a link to Part 1.
Marvel Parallels: Fantastic Four -- Part 1
INT. GAS STATION - DAY
Reed and Ben are at the convenience store buying drinks. Reed is buying for the both of them. They are standing at the counter, paying. A television on the wall is tuned to the news.
CLERK
That’ll be two fifty.
Reed hands him three one dollar bills. As the man is handing him change, the television comes alive with a special news bulletin.
CLOSE UP OF THE TELEVISION
On the tv, a stressed-out male reporter is standing in front of an astronomy lab.
REPORTER
(Hurriedly)
This is an emergency news report! Scientists as the research lab here in Central City have made an awesome discovery. Apparently an unusual space-anomaly is forming, and it may be in line to affect Earth! It sounds bizarre, but we have Doctor Brians here to speak to us.
Another man comes into the shot from off-screen, and older man in a lab coat.
DR. BRIANS
(Nervous)
Well, John, what we saw was bizarre indeed. (Motioning with his hands) We saw a large mass forming just outside the atmosphere. It has no definable structure and nothing else that we can define it by other than visible distortion of its general vicinity.
BACK TO REED AND BEN
REED
That’s such bull crap!
BACK TO TV
DR. BRIANS
It’s unlike anything we’ve seen before and we’re getting reports from other labs across the country. They can see it too even though it appears to be located above California, especially near Central City.
REPORTER
Did you hear that folks? It’s above our city? Would you say the possibility of extra-terrestrials is possible Doctor?
DR. BRIANS
We’re not saying anything other than what we saw, I apologize. We’re just telling you what we saw. We have no more of an idea what it is than you do.
REPORTER
Well there it is folks! Straight from the horse’s mouth. Aliens, or anomaly? More on this soon -- stay tuned to Channel 4!
BACK TO REED AND BEN
Reed looks perplexed, Ben interested.
REED
I can’t believe this. This has got to be some sort of anomaly. Aliens, I'm not sure about, but definitely distortion.
BEN
(Surprised)
Wow Reed, you’re not usually one to dispute...science stuff. You really don’t believe it?
REED
I’m just not sure Ben, in theory it’s fun to talk about but in real-life I think I’m gonna need a bit more evidence than that.
Ben shrugs, and they walk out the gas station together.
EXT. PARK -- DAY
Ben and Reed are passing by as they are finishing their sodas. The weather is great and they are minding their own conversation. Children are playing, families are having picnics, and many are just walking.
REED
So what do you think they’re gonna do about the thing?
BEN
I don’t know dude, try to get to it or something.
Ben and Reed laugh.
BEN (CONT’D)
I mean, honestly it’s a little much to take in. Maybe it’s nothing! It could be one of those unexplainable things.
Reed studies Ben’s face for a moment.
REED
Like you’re love for cheesecake?
They bust out laughing at Reed’s joke.
BEN
Reed, you know I can’t --
CUT TO:
VICTOR RUNNING INTO HIS HOUSE
INT. VICTOR’S HOME -- AFTERNOON
VICTOR
--let myself stay in the dark forever!
Victor dashes through his home, running through various rooms until he reaches the basement door. He throws open the door and blasts down the stairs. When he reaches the bottom he flips on the light and dashes to a bookshelf. He begins to search for “Recipes for Home”, but is unsuccessful as he is tossing book after book aside. He moves to a stack of cardboard boxes and begins upacking them, revealing more books.
VICTOR (CONT’D)
(Inner monologue)
I can’t stay in the dark anymore! I’ve gotta find out what my parents have been hiding from me! I heard so many of their conversations, late at night, not knowing what in the world they were talking about!
He finally finds the book, “Recipes for Home”. He examines the cover carefully. Before he opens it, he holds it up in the light. It’s cover is red leather, and dusty. The title is written in golden letters. The binding is slightly torn. He opens it. Trifling through the pages, we see nothing but words in the book. No hidden button or anything.
VICTOR (CONT’D)
(Torn)
What?! There’s nothing here?! Okay...let’s start over. Read the book!
He flips back to page one to start reading the book. Suddenly, the book begins to glow an eerie purple light. He snatches his hands away. Much to his surprise, the book is floating and glowing brightly. As it bobs in the air, we see it’s glow grow in intensity. When it grows to be very bright, the light explodes. When the light fades, the book is gone. We see Victor standing in the basement alone again. He looks around him, perplexed.
VICTOR (CONT’D)
What...what happened?
Nothing special happens at all. The room remains silent.
VICTOR (CONT’D)
(Furious)
Freaking answer me! WHAT’S GOING ON--
Another light erupts in the room. It is red, and it begins to flood the room. After a couple seconds, it ebbs away and leaves a heap on the floor. The heap is covered by what looks like a green cape, possibly a person. Standing to his feet, Victor examines the heap. It shuffles a bit. Victor shies away. The figure rolls over, and we see that it is Dr. Doom. Doctor Doom opens his eyes, and see’s Victor.
DOCTOR DOOM
(In Awe)
It...it worked. I’m really here!
Victor is completely mortified.
DOCTOR DOOM (CONT’D)
(Eyeing Victor)
I know you...boy.
Doom points a finger at Victor.
DOCTOR DOOM (CONT’D)
Yes...you are what I came here for. Speak, child!
Victor begins to mumble and stutter.
VICTOR
My my my my D-D-Dad told me to open the book! Wh-What are you?!
Dr. Doom begins to rise to his feet, and Victor is in awe of his size and presence. Doom eyes Victor with a cold stare behind his metal mask.
DOCTOR DOOM
You won’t want to believe me, but I am you.
VICTOR
There’s not way you’re me. Time travel is impossible. And why would you be here?
Doom approaches Victor, slowly.
DOCTOR DOOM
Victor...I have an unsettling truth for you.
Doom gets close to Victor’s face.
DOCTOR DOOM (CONT’D)
You have no choice to believe it or not.
Doom snatches Victor up by the collar of his shirt.
VICTOR
(Screaming)
What-what are you doing? Put me down!
DOCTOR DOOM
I need to show you something. If I release you, will you follow me?
Victor thinks for a minute.
VICTOR
Yes...yes I will.
Doom drops him.
DOCTOR DOOM
Come, youngling.
Doom picks the book up again, holding it firmly.
WE SEE A CLOSE UP OF THE BOOK. IT BEGINS TO GLOW AGAIN.
DOCTOR DOOM (CONT’D)
The book glowed for you, yes?
VICTOR
Yes it did.
The book glows more strongly. We see a close up of Doom’s face before switching back to full view of the room. The book erupts in light and floats in mid-air.
DOCTOR DOOM
This book has more power than you know, child. It is no ordinary book. In fact, it is an ancient artifact. I disguised it as a cooking manual and put it here for you to find.
Victor looks shocked.
VICTOR
What? But I thought--
DOOM
(Angry)
You thought what?! What did you think Victor? Did you think that I was a genie? Did you think your father was a super-genius?
VICTOR
Dad said that Mom was killed by the Baron...is that true?
DOCTOR DOOM
Victor, your mother was a gypsie. A witch. Now come, I will show you something.
Doom begins to chant something eerie, in a foreign language, waving his hands around the book. The book glows brighter, then a blinding flash surrounds them.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. LOCAL MALL - DAY
We see a birds-eye view of a busy food court. The “view” shows us random groups of people and teenagers enjoying their meals. The view shows us Sue, sitting in a group of friends. She is drinking a fountain drink. The other girls are all giggling. One girl speaks out.
SUE’S FRIEND
So Sue, what’s it like living with a dorky brother?
SUE
(Scoffing)
Ugh! He’s so annoying. I swear he’s retarded or something.
ANOTHER FRIEND
Where’s he even at? Does he have any friends?
SUE
I don’t know. I think Nanny was gonna take him to the game store or something.
SUE’S FRIEND
Isn’t there on in the mall here?
Sue shrugs. She looks up as she finishes her drink.
WE SEE BEN AND REED WALKING INTO THE MALL. COINCIDENTALLY, JOHNNY AND NANNY ARE ALSO COMING IN.
SUE
Oh my God! He’s here!
Sue covers her face. The view switches back to Johnny, who is talking to Nanny. We cannot hear their conversation. We also see Ben and Reed who are just walking.
SUE (CONT’D)
Let’s get out of here before they see us.
Sue and her friends get up from their table. Just as they begin to walk away, a shout is heard.
SHOUTER
Hey! Look everybody the thing in the sky is right above us!
At first, nobody really pays attention. A few groups in the crowd split off to go outside. As more people go, the mall empties quickly. Sue, her friends, Ben, Reed, Johnny and Nanny are all outside. They are not standing together, but they wind up nearby each other. We see them from a birds eye view. The view switches to the sky. Like the shouter said, an obviously cloaked object is hovering in the sky. It looks like a typical invisibility cloak, when light is bending (i.e. Predator). We see several shots of the people, who are shocked and amazed. We see a close up of Reed, who is fascinated.
REED
(To Ben)
Ben...are you seeing this?
Ben does not respond. We see a close up of his face. We also see a close up of Sue’s face, just before the view switches back to the object. Suddenly, the sky darkens. People begin to shout from fear. The object is more clearly visible, and it zooms higher into the sky. The sun is covered like a solar eclipse, and then the object erupts with power. It shoots beams down into the people. Four beams target each of them (Sue, Johnny, Ben, Reed). They are lifted from the ground.
CUT TO:
INT. VICTOR’S HOME - AFTERNOON
Victor and Doom reappear in a flash of light. Victor is visibly awestruck with amazement. He lands on the ground with a thud on his hands and knees.
VICTOR
You didn’t tell me that you were from another dimension!
DOOM
It was necessary to bring you with me! Do you understand your purpose! I have already arranged for the four children in this dimension to receive their powers. I am orchestrating this whole thing!
Doom snags the boy up.
DOOM (CONT’D)
The people will think this is a miraculous event. They will never figure out that I set it up. It took me years of hard work to create the dimension machine to bring me here. The four teenagers will be your enemies, and you will kill them with your superior powers! Then, we will rule this dimension together!
He drops Victor, who is still scared.
VICTOR
But...in your dimension, you lose. The Fantastic Four have defeated your every plan. You showed me, I saw it with my own eyes. You’re a loser! How do you expect ME to beat them here if you couldn’t beat them either?!
DOOM
Because, youngling, I will defeat them if you do not succeed.
CUT TO:
EXT. MALL - DAY
The four teenagers are being held in the air, which we now know is giving them their powers. Much of the crowd has now dispersed, staring at them in awe. After a minute or so, the four drop.
WE SEE A FOUR-CUT IMAGE SIMILAR TO THE ONE SHOWN WITH THE TITLE OF THEIR FACES AS THEY ARE STANDING UP. IT CUTS AWAY TO REED’S FACE
Reed examines himself. After a quick snap of his face, we see his hands. His hands begin to droop like honey. He tries to snap them back together but is unsuccessful. The next shot we see is Sue. She begins to disappear slowly. As she is freaking out, a girl nearby her passes out. She disappears completely. Next we see Johnny who is admiring his now flaming hand. Ben is standing nearby, who is not having such a great time as his skin is hardening. The four of them stand in a group, obviously scared of what is going on. The mall crowd is now quiet.
WE SEE THE CLOAKED OBJECT AGAIN. THE SUN RETURNS TO NORMAL, AND THE OBJECT ZOOMS BACK INTO SPACE, AND OUT OF EXISTENCE, NOT BE SEEN AGAIN.
The camera pans around the four of the kids, who are facing the crowd. Reed is beginning to regain his composure. Sue is simply standing in her clothes, invisible. Johnny is not burning at the moment, and Ben is about 75% finished transforming. The camera cuts to a man in the crowd who steps up to them, after a long moment of silence.
MAN
Are....are you guys alright? What did that thing do to you?
The kids are surprised at the man’s question. Reed speaks up
REED
Now, now we aren’t..oh man..
BEN
(Cutting in)
We’re okay! Really!
JOHNNY
Haha I know I’m okay, this is awesome.
Johnny throws a fireball into the sky. It lands on top of the mall with a small poof. Johnny cackles in delight. Sue smacks him upside the head with her invisible hand.
SUE
Johnny! Look people there’s no reason to get--
Some of the crowd that was scared by Johnny’s blast separates. A woman steps up.
WOMAN
You’re freaks!
SUE
What the hell lady you sound so cliche! We’re not freaks we don’t even know that thing did to us!
The camera closes in on Johnny’s face. A flame appears in his eyes before the camera zooms out again.
JOHNNY
We’re not the freaks, you people are!
Johnny forms a fireball, holds it in front of him, and then forms another one in the other hand. He is threatening the crowd.
JOHNNY (CONT’D)
Let’s see who has the smart mouth next!
SUE
Johnny! What are you doing?!
Reed shoots his hand into the air. It stretches out and attaches to the roof of the mall.
REED
Wow...that was a great guess! Come on guys grab on, let’s see if my next idea works.
Reluctantly, they grab on to Reed’s side. Focusing, Reed tries to retract himself. Much to his chagrin, Ben is holding them down, who has now fully transformed.
REED (CONT’D)
Ben...buddy you look like you can get out of this yourself.
Ben let’s go.
BEN
(Deeper voice)
Okay...
Reed’s arm snaps them to the roof of the mall, Johnny and Sue hanging on for dear life. Ben storms through the terrified onlookers. With a stumbly effort he jumps high enough to grab the edge of the mall roof.
WE SEE A SHOT OF THE FOUR OF THEM, STANDING THERE TOGETHER AFTER BEN CLIMBS UP. THEY RUN FROM THE EDGE OF THE BUILDING.
Notes:
*This is not a live-action script. This is for an animated Fantastic Four movie, like the DC straight-to-DVD ones that have become popular as of late.
**I am releasing this in separate parts and small doses to build suspense and keep readers interested. Expect the next chunk to be much longer.
***This is not the first thing I have ever written. I am not a noob. I am a writer, and have been for a while. But this is the first script I have released to the general public like this. So feel free to crtique my work, but not too harsh. I have experience in narratives, not quite as much in scriptwriting. Workin' on it, workin' on it!