UPDATE: Since this article was published, several high level sources close to Fantastic Four spoken to independently of each other have told EW the rift on set was not about creative differences but rather combative behavior Trank demonstrated toward the crew, producers, studio and even the stars. Its partly linked to Tranks personal disputes involving accusations of deliberate damage done to the house he was renting which sources say eventually manifested on set as hostility and frustration from Trank.
Not all these new sources agree, however. Some who worked on the film say Trank was driven to the breaking point by the studio, which delayed casting and script approvals, slashed the budget by tens of millions from what was originally promised, and tried to force last-minute changes to the film just as principal photography was beginning, creating confusion and stress from the get-go that often boiled over among department heads trying to put together pieces of a movie that was still in flux.
Theres a reason Tranks tweet has caused such an uproar and raised so many questions. Until now, everyone involved in Fantastic Four has been so busy denying there was any disruption or chaos on set or between the filmmaking team that Tranks burst of truth and despair is difficult to interpret even by those who have been trying to follow the developments on the film closely. Is this merely more evidence of the erratic behavior those who worked on the movie have discussed anonymously in the press?
Or
lets give Trank the benefit of the doubt, just for a moment. Might Trank actually be the injured party here? Thats what was suggested by Max Landis, the screenwriter of Chronicle, who has previously directed sarcasm and scorn Tranks way when the Star Wars film fell through. Although Landis wasnt involved in Fantastic Four, he seemed to side with his former director on Thursday night.
