Fox Unsurprisingly Removes FANTASTIC FOUR 2 From Their 2017 Release Schedule
In a shocking turn of events, after a less-than-ideal box office return from Josh Trank's Fantastic Four, 20th Century Fox has removed the already announced sequel from their upcoming release schedule. What does this mean for the future of the franchise? Come check it out!
Well, the jam-packed comic book movie slate of 2017 just got a little less crowded as 20th Century Fox announced late Monday night that they've officially removed Fantastic Four 2 from their upcoming release schedule. The June 9, 2017 date is now solely occupied by Paramount Pictures' World War Z sequel. There's now an increased chance Fox decides to place an X-Men universe film here, with a Deadpool sequel and Channing Tatum's Gambit being the most likely candidates, however, if they really wanted to up the ante, they could always push back Hugh Jackman's final X-Men outing, Wolverine 3, from March to June.
What this removal means for the future of the Fantastic Four franchise is yet-to-be seen, could the film be scrapped entirely? Tough to say and rationally speaking, discussion of a potential reunion with Marvel Studios seems a bit premature at this point. There is really no urgency on either side to strike a deal, however, as we've seen with Spider-Man, which, unlike the Fantastic Four reboot, made a ton of money at the box office, it's not necessarily something that's out of the realm of possibility. This would of course more than likely mean Marvel would once again have to realign their Phase 3 plans as they attempt to find a way to incorporate Marvel's first family. Another possibility, considering that Fox stills holds the rights until 2022, is that the creative team behind the Fantastic Four take a beat to reconsider the future of the series and work toward making a better sequel.
In case you needed a refresher, the ill-fated Josh Trank-directed Fantastic Four reboot was met was universal critical disdain and suffered at the box office, making just over $167 million worldwide on a $120 million budget, which would reportedly result in a loss of $60 million for the studio. The global successes of The Martian and Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials as well as the upcoming release of Leonardo DiCaprio's The Revenant may help mitigate the studio's loss a bit, but it's certaintly not a good look for a storied superhero team.
What do you guys think? Sound off with your thoughts below!
THE FANTASTIC FOUR, a contemporary re-imagining of Marvel's original and longest-running superhero team, centers on four young outsiders who teleport to an alternate and dangerous universe, which alters their physical form in shocking ways. Their lives irrevocably upended, the team must learn to harness their daunting new abilities and work together to save Earth from a former friend turned enemy.
Fantastic Four features:
Director: Josh Trank
Miles Teller as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic
Michael B. Jordan as Johnny Storm/Human Torch
Kate Mara as Susan Storm/Invisible Woman
Jamie Bell as Ben Grimm/The Thing
Toby Kebbell as Victor Domashev/Doctor Doom
Reg E. Cathey as Dr. Franklin Storm
Tim Blake Nelson as Harvey Elder
Fantastic Four hits Blu-ray/DVD on December 15