CHRONICLE Director Josh Trank Frontrunner for FANTASTIC FOUR Reboot

CHRONICLE Director Josh Trank Frontrunner for FANTASTIC FOUR Reboot

Variety's Jeff Sneider and Rachel Abrams are reporting that 20th Century Fox believes that they have found the right director to reboot Fantastic Four, but there is one catch.

By nailbiter111 - Jan 13, 2012 05:01 PM EST
Filed Under: Fantastic Four
Source: showblitz.com



According to Variety Fox is thrilled with the early screenings of Josh Trank's Chronicle, which is his debut feature. Insiders expect Trank to land the gig. But, before they hand over the keys to Marvel's Fantastic Four they would like to see how well the film opens at the box office over the Super Bowl weekend. Apparently Fox is quite serious and has had several meetings with Trank already to discuss the project.

The script was written by Michael Green, who is no stranger to superhero films as he most recently was a contributor to the widely panned Green Lantern. If Trank does happen to land the job he'll be taking over for Tim Story, who directed the first two Fantastic Four movies. Those films were not well liked by critics or fans, but did gross just over $620 million worldwide combined.

The biggest complaint with the fans was the miscasting of several key roles. Fans and critics are most vocal when it comes to Jessica Alba as Sue Storm aka The Invisible Woman. The actress made for some wonderful eye candy, and most fans at first were just glad to see her in spandex and ignored her lack of talent. Sure she seems like a sweet gal, but I wouldn't pay her money to play a corpse.

But don't worry Jessica you weren't the only team member that didn't quite fit the role. Ioan Gruffudd as Reed Richards aka Mr. Fantastic is actually a pretty darn good actor, and the announcement of the unknown thespian was a bit of a shock. At first glance he shared a resemblance with the comic book version, but Gruffudd seemed to overact Mr. Fantastic's key characteristics. It was like he was doing a caricature.

To put it in simple terms, if you've seen Christopher Reeve playing Clark Kent, that is what Ioan did with Reed Richards. Christopher Reeve did it correctly though, his clumsy and bumbling Clark Kent is his disguise. You always knew deep down that he was Superman. While sure Ioann did the same thing he acted as best he could like a highly intelligent bookworm, but it seemed incredibly forced. Just look at his cameo in the hilarious movie, Horrible Bosses I really believed he liked to pee on dudes for money.

Mr. Fantastic is a tough role, you have to be able to be mature enough to be that daddy of the team, and Ioan just didn't have that patriarch like quality. To bad most people that are only familiar with Story's version will think Reed is just a shy nerdy guy that makes a lot of dumb decisions.

I know it can't all be negative negative negative, and you're right. On a positive note, Chris Evans was an excellent choice for Johnny Storm, aka The Human Torch. He flourished in the role and really made a name for himself. The best part of the movies was clearly Chris Evans. His moxie and lively banter with Michael Chiklis was not only accurate with the comics but was the strongest element in the films.

And let's not write off Michael Chiklis who was coming off the success of The Shield. He was a natural fit for Ben Grimm aka The Thing. He nailed the voice, but more importantly brought the deep sadness that Ben Grimm has suffered with as a side effect to becoming a monstrous superhero. Debate still divides fans about the approach to The Thing's costume. Some think the practical approach of the foam suit was cheap, a way to avoid using a full CGI approach, while others think it was great having a real costume that had real texture to it.

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WolvieCBM
WolvieCBM - 1/13/2012, 5:26 PM
Interesting. Very interesting. Glad that they are planning it. We'll see what happens.
ironknight
ironknight - 1/13/2012, 5:30 PM
So Marvel Studios still won't get them back?

ironknight
ironknight - 1/13/2012, 5:31 PM
Anyways, hopefully it will be good.
Moakynubs
Moakynubs - 1/13/2012, 5:31 PM
If there's one franchise thats in Marvel's reach, it's Fantastic Four. They could bring that back and do it really well.
MarkCassidy
MarkCassidy - 1/13/2012, 5:37 PM
Look, as long as Fox want the rights to FF, X-Men..and any other Marvel property the bought, they will keep them. It's that simple.

I'm sure they are capable of making a good FF movie, obviously I can't comment on thsi guy as their choice before seeing his movie.
superotherside
superotherside - 1/13/2012, 5:42 PM
Give it back to Marvel. Nuff said.
Dakjaniels
Dakjaniels - 1/13/2012, 5:52 PM
They need to wait longer before making another. Still trying to wipe my the last two from my brain. Galactus cloud, lame ass Dr. Doom. Michael Chiklis was the only good thing about those movies.
DCnerd46
DCnerd46 - 1/13/2012, 5:55 PM
@wolverinesfury I've never thought of that, good casting idea
P862010
P862010 - 1/13/2012, 5:56 PM
why do you want it back at marvel? so they can make it so formulaic like every marvel movie

X Men first class beat out every super hero film last year including 2 marvel films

and it was made by Fox

fox also made the phenomenal rise of the planet of the apes

they also made avatar

not to mention ridley scott's Prometheus looks amazing

seems like fox has turned a new leaf
EditNinja
EditNinja - 1/13/2012, 6:01 PM
Goodluck to 'em all!
Moakynubs
Moakynubs - 1/13/2012, 6:02 PM
The problem with using numbers as evidence as to why the movie should stay at fox P8, is that my enjoyment from a movie does not come from how well it does in a theater or how good of a review it gets. I have genuinely enjoyed every Marvel movie, and I would love to see them do Fantastic Four. They could eventually bring it all together for a New Avengers trilogy (Thing, Wolverine, Spider-Man, Cap, Iron Man is my pick for the team), if they got all the rights back. They could have little nods and cameos and do all kinds of cool crap. They could do team up movies and everything. I think that's way cooler than sales, and that's why I want it back at Marvel.
BlazinTexan
BlazinTexan - 1/13/2012, 6:09 PM
kevin dillion as Ben grimm its out of the box mofos
Bandrews1
Bandrews1 - 1/13/2012, 6:10 PM
This is interesting, he could be a choice only if Chronicle is a good movie, which I hope it is.
oghalfrican232
oghalfrican232 - 1/13/2012, 6:13 PM
that would be sick! Chronicle looks sweet!
BlazinTexan
BlazinTexan - 1/13/2012, 6:16 PM
and chronicle looks good
BlazinTexan
BlazinTexan - 1/13/2012, 6:16 PM
you just got BLAZED
Greengo
Greengo - 1/13/2012, 6:17 PM
Well this is intriguing but I'll wait until I see Chronicle.

Now lets get a Silver Surfer movie!
ComixBookGuy
ComixBookGuy - 1/13/2012, 6:22 PM
I'd have to watch Chronicle first but just by seeing the trailers it looks like the Fantastic Four will be in good hands. I've been thinking about the FF reboot ever since they announced the new Daredevil director David Slade. The villians should be Doctor Doom and the Skrulls, maybe a Silver Surfer cameo that would be awesome. I already know Wolverine 2 is in development and a First Class sequel is almost a for sure thing.
TheManWithBigEars
TheManWithBigEars - 1/13/2012, 6:35 PM
Chronicle looks pretty cool, so I wouldn't mind that...
Still wish Marvel had the rights back though...
StrangeBlackPantherDoctor
StrangeBlackPantherDoctor - 1/13/2012, 6:36 PM
I really want the rights back to marvel.
luckylu
luckylu - 1/13/2012, 6:37 PM
mr. fantastic and the thing were casted great to me. i hated evans and alba
thewonderer
thewonderer - 1/13/2012, 6:48 PM
P862010 is the biggest moron of life
GUNSMITH
GUNSMITH - 1/13/2012, 6:52 PM
SUE STORM YVONNE STRAHOVSKI



MR FANTASTIC

I DUNNO.

BEN GRIM BRUCE WILLIS

JHONNY STORM RYAN KWANTEN
P862010
P862010 - 1/13/2012, 6:57 PM
thewonderer

truth hurts does'nt it

that a fox produced comic movie in first class is far superior in acting and directing to thor and cap
laughterman26
laughterman26 - 1/13/2012, 7:08 PM
wow grif do you bitch about everything,did someone shit in your cereal every day and say oh lets think of ways to screw up grifs day oh i know lets just piss him off and then get him to piss all the dudes at cbm off,do we need to get you a doughnut or some macdonalds to get you to just stay positive and your like ten how can a little kid be so angry all the time,on another note bruce willis isnt a bad choice for the thing but i hope they go with clayton crains look or the thing on the cover of ultimate alliance 1
marvel72
marvel72 - 1/13/2012, 7:17 PM
from the look of the chronicle trailer a good choice of director.

just don't f*ck it up this time.

-cast decent actors.
-cgi thing.
-dr.doom must be done correctly.
-if you use galactus,not a f*ckin cloud.
-a decent storyline
-the fantastic four are more explorers than superheroes.
GUNSMITH
GUNSMITH - 1/13/2012, 7:22 PM
CG THING, MOTION CAPTURE, ACTOR PERFORMANCE CAPTURE LIKE AVATAR OR GOLEM FROM LOTR...GET WETA..

AlanWarlock
AlanWarlock - 1/13/2012, 7:22 PM
Tim Story's two films, and Jessica Alba, are unfairly maligned. Jessica's a good actress. The three biggest problems were the scripts, Dr. Doom, and the casting of Reed Richards. Too much emphasis on the "dysfunctional family" aspect of the quartet. Doom isn't a living monolith of metal skin with his own powers (and really should have an accent). Richards has to be significantly older than Sue.
GUNSMITH
GUNSMITH - 1/13/2012, 7:26 PM
SotNatt
SotNatt - 1/13/2012, 7:34 PM
A reboot. Oh no. Please. Don't. Stop-- don't do it. The one's with Jessica Alba are definitive. What a good actress. -_-

@AlanWarlock Ehhh....I liked her in Dark Angel. And The Sleeping Dictionary. Other than that, I don't know what happen. Her acting became wooden, and she was nothing more than a bit of eye candy at the end of it, which doesn't necessarily serve me any purpose.

I liked Gruffudd's portrayal of Reed Richards. Did not like the dancing so much, however.

Ultimately, it was bad writing, cinematography and pacing that did FF in. Oh and the biggest problem being A COMPLETE NEGLECT OF THE VICTOR VON DOOM CHARACTER.
CyberA
CyberA - 1/13/2012, 7:36 PM

I actually wouldn't mind, all too much, seeing a Fantastic Four reboot, as long as it is REALLY GOOD... The original two were fairly decent (...IMO...), but they STILL could have been a hell of a lot better..., ya know?!!!... *cool*/P :)

Mechagino
Mechagino - 1/13/2012, 7:36 PM
Disney NEEDS to get this, not spider-man, not x-men, not even the avengers, The Fantastic Four is a Gold mine if Disney were to buy it. And they should!
95
95 - 1/13/2012, 7:36 PM
Wow, I was just daydreaming about an epic Disney-produced Fantastic Four 3D scored by Daft Punk. Then I come on ComicBookMovie and find out that a Fox-produced Fantastic Four is reality. They should go the X-Men: First Class and bring the reboot to the Space Race era. But, this director chose has me thinking they'll go the, Cloverfield cinematography, Star Trek reboot young cast, Rise of the Planet of the Apes-like Subterrnea Mole Man, route.
madmarva
madmarva - 1/13/2012, 7:42 PM
It's Christopher Reeve, not Reeves. George Reeves played Superman in the 1950s TV series. Such mistakes undercuts your credibility.
PoPcornDude
PoPcornDude - 1/13/2012, 8:01 PM
somebody please stop the reboot !!!

that way FF will get back at Marvel and then we can have a MEGA CROSSOVER and maybe see a clash between The Thing and Hulk !!!

even a cameo between worlds of Iron Man and FF !
BlueHawaiiSurfer
BlueHawaiiSurfer - 1/13/2012, 8:03 PM
Do we really need a "reboot" every time another director takes over a project like this? Do we really need to start the story over and explain the origin EVERY TIME?!?! Why not just keep it going, oh I don't know, like you would if a new writer/artist took over the book??
Checkmate
Checkmate - 1/13/2012, 8:07 PM
I'd rather have it with Marvel.
deadpoolstaco
deadpoolstaco - 1/13/2012, 8:09 PM
im not excited about this, chronicle may surprise me but i dont think it looks that great
headlopper
headlopper - 1/13/2012, 8:14 PM
This news is utterly disastrous!

The FF are "The Worlds's Greatest Comic Magazine" heroes.

They are the cornerstone of Marvel's present success. Stan Lee's 'first born child ' if you will.

The re-boot needs the best of the best! Best director , best writers, best EVERYTHING! WHY? Because they are the nexus to all of this:

Dr.Doom
The Negative Zone
The Kree
The Skrulls
The Black Panther
The Inhumans( all of them!)
Galactus
The Silver Surfer
Blastaar
Annihilus
Ronan the Accuser
Uatu the 'Watcher'
Super Skrull
and the successful re- introduction of Namor, the Sub-Mariner .

The Fantastic Four re-boot sets the tone for ALL of these possible future projects, including Nova , Guardians of the Galaxy, and possibly a 'Starjammer' spin-off.

Hey Fox, you fu** this up, I will boycott every freakin' CBM you ever make!
headlopper
headlopper - 1/13/2012, 8:15 PM
There now, I feel better!
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