Old MCU Fantastic Four Discussion Thread

[Willie Lumpkin]

In 2019 there's absolutely no reason anybody has to have technical skill to go on a spaceflight. It's all about space-tourism these days, and in the near future, anybody who has enough money and wants to go to space will be able to go to space.

It makes much more sense in 2019 that a couple non-technical people would go on a spaceflight than it did in 1961.

 

[Willie Lumpkin]

In my opinion, the key part of the FF - the thing that makes them the FF - is the nature of the characters, their backgrounds, personalities etc. The origin of the FF is a relatively minor detail. The key parts of the origin are:
1. It should be pushing the bounds of what is known.
2. There should be a sense of urgency
3. Because of the sense of urgency, Reed should push harder and farther than he should.

If the FF characters don't fit the origin, change the origin, not the characters. As long as those key points above are maintained, there's a lot of flexibility in the origin. I don't want to change the nature of the FF because it doesn't fit into an overly constricted box of an origin.

 

[Detective Conan]

The problem with that is how do you justify her being on the trip to space that gave them their powers? Having her be a medical doctor or scientist gives some rationalization to the movie going public where time is limited and roles need to be defined (Reed as the scientist, Johnny interested in mechanics and Ben with piloting). She can still be motherly and the such even as a career woman.

It's also why I prefer having Johnny at least college-aged compared to being a kid. It makes more sense and the MCU has aged up people before (see Bucky).

I think the MCU version of Johnny Storm should be around Peter’s age, and I think he might be in his 20’s or so since I do expect by the time the FF make their debut in the MCU(if the Sony/Marvel deal last long enough) Peter will be out of high school & in college. I would like Johnny and Peter to be close in age to each other. I don’t want a Peter Parker who’s older than Johnny in the MCU like they are in the comics. In fact, even in the Silver age, Johnny was always stated to be a year older than Peter. Johnny is sixteen in FF#1 which takes place before Amazing Fantasy #15 where Peter is commonly said to be fifteen but they’re still very close in age. I hope they preserve that in the MCU.

 

[Zarex]

In 2019 there's absolutely no reason anybody has to have technical skill to go on a spaceflight. It's all about space-tourism these days, and in the near future, anybody who has enough money and wants to go to space will be able to go to space.

It makes much more sense in 2019 that a couple non-technical people would go on a spaceflight than it did in 1961.

You could certainly have Sue on board as a Space Tourist. But after having her full the roles "2nd Best Scientist" and "Non-Mission Participating Costume Designer and Pattern Expert" in the Fox series, I don't think that's a good look. Sue should have a unique skill set for team missions.

 

[Detective Conan]

This post is going to be weird but hear me out.

I like the idea of Bill Hader as Reed Richards.

Now hear me out! Before y’all call me crazy and tell me that’s the worst casting decision of all time. I advise you guys to not to think of Hader as the SNL guy who does funny impressions.

Think of his more dramatic work like Barry, or even to some extent Trainwreck. The guy’s a good actor and I think he could bring something to the role.

He also voiced a Mr. Fantastic parody character Professor Impossible on Venture Bros.
@Willie Lumpkin or @Crimz what say you?

 

[Willie Lumpkin]

You could certainly have Sue on board as a Space Tourist. But after having her full the roles "2nd Best Scientist" and "Non-Mission Participating Costume Designer and Pattern Expert" in the Fox series, I don't think that's a good look. Sue should have a unique skill set for team missions.

That's fine, and I think it's valid to say: "I want 2019 Sue to be X" but if so, I want that to be driven by the character the film-makers want to portray as opposed to "This is the way to fit her into the origin"

 

[Crimz]

It's not a good look having your only female main character being the least qualified.
I think making her a scientist is going too far and is too close to Reed. It makes her redundant as Reed's thing is being the one of the best scientists in the world, plus it messes up their dynamic.

However, there are many other roles/careers that suits Sue's personality without infringing into Reed's territory. Such as being the doctor/medic of the team or an ambassador of Earth to any alien races they encounter. Both fit her compassionate and "people person" personality.

If anyone should be unqualified to be on the mission it's Johnny. It plays into his immaturity and insecurity about his usefulness, which is the reason behind his bravado.

 

[Marvel united]

I liked the idea of Sue being a celebrity/actress and being responsible for the F4's status in the social hierarchy i.e making them famous.

 

[Crimz]

Thought this was interesting considering @Dark Raven fancasted Ethan Peck as Reed.


Seems this podcast might be a great way to see if that fancast works.

 

[Willie Lumpkin]

Thought this was interesting considering @Dark Raven fancasted Ethan Peck as Reed.


Seems this podcast might be a great way to see if that fancast works.

Yeah, that is interesting. He's got the look, but I've never seen him act. If he can do a good job at this, it could be an audition for the film role.

 

[fan4stic]

I’d like to think she’d priortise saving the world from certain doom over worrying about fame. Makes her seem kind of shallow, imo.

I think it's more about how it effects her life, not necessarily the fame itself.

 

[Detective Conan]

I think it's more about how it effects her life, not necessarily the fame itself.

I’m aware of that. That’s what I meant to imply. Still doesn’t make sense to be worrying about that when the world is in danger but hey that’s what bad writing does for you, I guess.

 

[fan4stic]

I’m aware of that. That’s what I meant to imply. Still doesn’t make sense to be worrying about that when the world is in danger but hey that’s what bad writing does for you, I guess.

I don't think her being concerned about that negates that. I think it's a difference between an emotional goal and professional one. I don't think she thinks they shouldn't do that over not wanting to deal with it. She's willing to do it in the movie.

 

[Detective Conan]

I don't think her being concerned about that negates that. I think it's a difference between an emotional goal and professional one. I don't think she thinks they shouldn't do that over not wanting to deal with it. She's willing to do it in the movie.

But I felt the film failed to handle that arc in a meaningful way with the larger plot of foiling Galactus/Silver Surfer. She just comes across as needlessly shallow. Perhaps with a better writing and of course a better actress in the role I would’ve understood that angle they were going for better.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

The marriage thing was too early anyway. They should have saved that for the third film and allocated the time in the script to more overall characterization for everyone. Then maybe the film would have been better in the first place and there would have been a third film.

 

[Dark Raven]

Thought this was interesting considering @Dark Raven fancasted Ethan Peck as Reed.


Seems this podcast might be a great way to see if that fancast works.

Yeah, that is interesting. He's got the look, but I've never seen him act. If he can do a good job at this, it could be an audition for the film role.

I've seen him act in Star Trek Discovery as Spock, but I'm still no wiser as to whether he'd be a good Reed Richards or not. He wasn't written that well and he was also playing a cold and unemotional character who would be quite different from Reed, and since he was in Vulcan makeup didn't look anything like Mr Fant4stic either. Even his interviews give more of a sense of how he might be than his role as Spock.

I'd say this podcast would be a much better indicator of his ability.

 

[Iceman]

The marriage thing was too early anyway. They should have saved that for the third film and allocated the time in the script to more overall characterization for everyone. Then maybe the film would have been better in the first place and there would have been a third film.

Yeah, I thought that straightaway. The marriage thing didn't help ay of them, coming when it did.

 

[Iceman]

It's not a good look having your only female main character being the least qualified.
I think making her a scientist is going too far and is too close to Reed. It makes her redundant as Reed's thing is being the one of the best scientists in the world, plus it messes up their dynamic.

However, there are many other roles/careers that suits Sue's personality without infringing into Reed's territory. Such as being the doctor/medic of the team or an ambassador of Earth to any alien races they encounter. Both fit her compassionate and "people person" personality.

If anyone should be unqualified to be on the mission it's Johnny. It plays into his immaturity and insecurity about his usefulness, which is the reason behind his bravado.

Agreed on all of this. If there was a way of combining the 2 roles you suggested for Sue I would love it. ​

 

[Jordacar]

When I think of real-life Sue Storm types, my mind immediately goes to Karlie Kloss. Not that she could play Sue, just that Sue would be like that. Fashion model, entrepreneur, humanitarian (or similar occupations), just a real top-shelf multi-hyphenate role model right out of the gate.

And in this corner, we have her burnout baby brother Johnny...

 

[Silvermoth]

The thing is, if you make Susan a society lady how do you make her relatable? The 1% aren’t exactly popular these days

I can't imagine anyone writing her like that. I think a good male writer/director can make her an interesting character and a good female writer/director can make her an interesting character. I think it's a matter of competence, not gender of the writer.

And yet time after time we’ve found it does exactly take women writers in the room to make the characters interesting.

Sue seems like the trickiest one of the 4 to "get" and that's mostly because she's probably the most important.

Yep good point

 

[Willie Lumpkin]

And yet time after time we’ve found it does exactly take women writers in the room to make the characters interesting.

I thought Valkyrie was interesting, just as one quick example.

Good writing is good writing. I refuse to believe only one gender or the other can do it. That would be a sexist opinion.

"Only women can write compelling female characters."
"Only men can do math."

Both of those statements are sexist.

 

[Jordacar]

The thing is, if you make Susan a society lady how do you make her relatable? The 1% aren’t exactly popular these days

 

[Zarex]

When I think of real-life Sue Storm types, my mind immediately goes to Karlie Kloss. Not that she could play Sue, just that Sue would be like that. Fashion model, entrepreneur, humanitarian (or similar occupations), just a real top-shelf multi-hyphenate role model right out of the gate.

And in this corner, we have her burnout baby brother Johnny...

She sounds lovely! But not particularly useful on an extended mission across multiple dimensions.

On the other hand, her gear head brother seems like he'd be super helpful.

 

[Kane52630]

 

[Jordacar]

She sounds lovely! But not particularly useful on an extended mission across multiple dimensions.

On the other hand, her gear head brother seems like he'd be super helpful.

And this is exactly the kind of crap she would have to put up with; no matter how professional or qualified she is, everyone sees her immature brother as a better fit for being an astronaut just because he's good with tools.