Old MCU Fantastic Four Discussion Thread

[KRYPTON INC.]

Biram Ba

Bruno Furlani

Neil Roberts

 

[Detective Conan]

Fantastic Four logo reveal and Jon Watts announcement near the very end.

 

[TheVileOne]

I hope Willie Lumpkin saw this.

 

[Shuri]

There's something small time about Watts' Spider-Man films. You would never get the impression Spider-Man is the top dog at Marvel watching them. They are like eating cotton candy and the best MCU films are a satisfying meal.

The other Spider-Man films feel a lot bigger, even the bad ones.

That was a deliberate choice, they've always said they wanted spiderman to be small scale. I don't think F4 would be small scale at all.

 

[Shuri]

John Krasinski and Emily Blunt.

I hope not. I want unknown actors for this.

 

[Shuri]

I’m fine with whoever they cast as long as it isn’t John Krasinski and Emily Blunt. Those two have been fancast to death to the point it’s gotten kind of annoying, and people are just insisting it be them and no one else can play the roles.

Exactly. Fans made me hate the thought of these two playing the characters.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

That was a deliberate choice, they've always said they wanted spiderman to be small scale. I don't think F4 would be small scale at all.

Yeah the stories and villain plots for both MCU Spidey films feels appropriate to the character.

With FF from origin to who they go up against it needs to look and feel bigger.

And I think they know that.

 

[Willie Lumpkin]

I hope Willie Lumpkin saw this.

Oh, trust me, I’ve had this day marked on my calendar ever since they said there would be Marvel announcements.

And I was Googling all day - even after I saw the conference wasn’t until 4:30.

 

[Wheels]

I think I just like all the worrying over Aunt May, the romance subplots with the different women in Peter's life, really struggling to juggle things, I don't know what it is everything thing feels kind of chill watching MCU Spider-Man to me like, it's just nice, and that's it. Never really buy the tense moments.

 

[Willie Lumpkin]

There's something small time about Watts' Spider-Man films. You would never get the impression Spider-Man is the top dog at Marvel watching them. They are like eating cotton candy and the best MCU films are a satisfying meal.

The other Spider-Man films feel a lot bigger, even the bad ones.

This is my biggest concern with Watts, but I’m optimistic for several reasons:

1. He is your “friendly neighborhood Spider-Man”, and I think portraying him as such was an objective for Marvel and Watts.

2. I think the whole Sony thing and Spidey’s history led to a smaller budget and smaller feel. They wanted to set themselves apart from the previous film and not risk too much in doing so. And with Sony’s hold on the character, Marvel wasn’t going to go all-in and create a tent-pole character they might lose.

And with those constraints, Watts did well. He gave us fun, likable, believable characters. And that’s something not easy to do and critical for FF.

My hope is Marvel will give him the right script, a big budget and other support and we’ll get a film that will feel very different from the Spidey films.

 

[Iceman]

I get Spidey is street level but I always felt the stakes in the other movies more for whatever reason.

His relationships felt more significant and everything felt more important. I feel like I'm watching Ant-Man movies and I don't like that feeling watching Spider-Man.

Spidey is great as a small scale, street level hero but the stakes in his films should feel massive for him and those around him. The Raimi films achieved this. He was a young kid struggling to pay bills and the villains weren’t threatening global domination, yet the stakes felt far higher than most other solo superhero films.

 

[Willie Lumpkin]

... My hope is Marvel will say to Watts: “Don’t worry, our writers will give you a great story, and our production designers are going to create a world worthy of Kirby. Your primary job is to make the characters feel real in that amazing world.”

 

[Wheels]

Spidey is great as a small scale, street level hero but the stakes in his films should feel massive for him and those around him. The Raimi films achieved this. He was a young kid struggling to pay bills and the villains weren’t threatening global domination, yet the stakes felt far higher than most other solo superhero films.

Yes.

 

[Iceman]

... My hope is Marvel will say to Watts: “Don’t worry, our writers will give you a great story, and our production designers are going to create a world worthy of Kirby. Your primary job is to make the characters feel real in that amazing world.”

Yeah. I think he can handle being pushed in a direction and focusing on what he is good at.

 

[Crimz]

I'm so tired of the Krasinski/Blunt fancasts. Please not them.

I really hope the FF will be multiracial. The only one who's ethnicity is important to the character is Ben.

So when will we get a Fantastic Four section here?

 

[Hannibal75]

I don't get what Feige sees in Watts that nobody else does. Yes, the Russos had done "You, Me, and Dupree" when he hired them but they instantly proved their mettle with their first two movies before being entrusted with Infinity War/Endgame.
Watts OTOH hasn't come even close to that. "Homecoming" was a pleasant diversion and "Far From Home" was one of the worst MCU movies, IMHO, with all the chaotic action scenes, the American Pie style comedy and the Iron Man Jr. stuff.

The only explanation I have is that after so many botched attempts to bring this franchise to screen they are going super-safe this time and choose a director who has shown his ability to make inoffensive films that appeal to the broadest audience possible.

 

[TheVileOne]

Oh, trust me, I’ve had this day marked on my calendar ever since they said there would be Marvel announcements.

And I was Googling all day - even after I saw the conference wasn’t until 4:30.

Honestly Willie, I'm far more invested in you liking this movie than I am. I've known you on these forums for years and I want you to get the Fantastic Four movie you've always wanted and deserve.

 

[DyeLorean]

I'm ok with Watts directing this, I was actually worried that Peyton Reed was pushing for FF because I'm not really sold on his skills. I love Ant-Man but that was mostly because of the original idea of a heist film and Ant-Man and the Wasp was a big dissapointment.
Jon Watts feels like a much more prepared director and they're obviously comfortable with him.

 

[Boom]

Ant-Man and the Wasp is borderline unwatchable to me. I have zero desire to ever watch that film again, and I struggled to get through it the first time. I am sort of counting my blessings here because things could have been a lot worse if Reed landed this gig.

The MCU Spider-Man films are just aggressively "meh." I understand them wanting to play it a little bit safer considering this is the fourth attempt at the property, but Fantastic Four deserves a filmmaker with a grand, bold vision. When I think "grand, bold vision," I don't think "Jon Watts."

Prove me wrong, I guess.

 

[Willie Lumpkin]

Honestly Willie, I'm far more invested in you liking this movie than I am. I've known you on these forums for years and I want you to get the Fantastic Four movie you've always wanted and deserve.

Thanks! I wish we had a director I could get more excited about, but I’m remaining optimistic and I can’t wait until we start getting some casting, set-photos etc.


... and yeah, as I’ve seen a few people ask, where is our FF forum?

 

[Web-Head]

I don't get what Feige sees in Watts that nobody else does. Yes, the Russos had done "You, Me, and Dupree" when he hired them but they instantly proved their mettle with their first two movies before being entrusted with Infinity War/Endgame.
Watts OTOH hasn't come even close to that. "Homecoming" was a pleasant diversion and "Far From Home" was one of the worst MCU movies, IMHO, with all the chaotic action scenes, the American Pie style comedy and the Iron Man Jr. stuff.

The only explanation I have is that after so many botched attempts to bring this franchise to screen they are going super-safe this time and choose a director who has shown his ability to make inoffensive films that appeal to the broadest audience possible.

I don't get it either. I find Watts Spider-Man pretty unlikable and the humor just isn't there, so I'm definitely concerned how he'll handle the first family

 

[Willie Lumpkin]

Ant-Man and the Wasp is borderline unwatchable to me. I have zero desire to ever watch that film again, and I struggled to get through it the first time. I am sort of counting my blessings here because things could have been a lot wor

The MCU Spider-Man films are just aggressively "meh." I understand them wanting to play it a little bit safer considering this is the fourth attempt at the property, but Fantastic Four deserves a filmmaker with a grand, bold vision. When I think "grand, bold vision," I don't think "Jon Watts."

Prove me wrong, I guess.

I don’t disagree, but I also think directors with “grand, bold vision” has never been Marvel’s MO.

Marvel films are team projects with the director driving the bus but Marvel giving then a first-rate bus to drive.

A truly bold director would probably object to and have trouble functioning in Marvel’s system.

There hasn’t been a single director for a single Marvel film that has knocked my socks off when I heard them announced, but I’ve always enjoyed the finished product.

And if I’m completely honest, Marvel’s two, most arguably bold directors (Taiki W -not sure if I’m spelling that right, but you know who I mean - and James Gunn) often get on my nerves. Yeah, they do some very clever, funny things, but while those things make me laugh, the don’t make me care about the characters and they often take me out of the moment.

 

[DyeLorean]

When I think "grand, bold vision," I don't think "Jon Watts."

So... you mean Josh Trank?



Kidding aside, the "bold vision" doesn't come from the director, but we've seen that it comes from Feige. He is the one that says "ok we are going THAT way" and then he enlists the director that suits that vision. It has worked pretty well so far if you ask me.

 

[Boom]

So... you mean Josh Trank?



Kidding aside, the "bold vision" doesn't come from the director, but we've seen that it comes from Feige. He is the one that says "ok we are going THAT way" and then he enlists the director that suits that vision. It has worked pretty well so far if you ask me.

I've found that Marvel's best films are the ones that have the directors' DNA in them. Both Guardians of the Galaxy films are distinctly James Gunn. Ragnarok is distinctly Taika Waititi. Even Black Panther is distinctly Ryan Coogler. Say whatever you will about those films, but they have a clear voice and vision behind them.

You and Willie aren't wrong, and again I understand the instinct to play things a bit safe with this film. But for all their home runs, Marvel has A LOT of forgettable, discard-able films in their catalogue. I'd honestly include Watts' two Spider-Man films in there. I really don't want this to be one too.

 

[Willie Lumpkin]

I've found that Marvel's best films are the ones that have the directors' DNA in them. Both Guardians of the Galaxy films are distinctly James Gunn. Ragnarok is distinctly Taika Waititi. Even Black Panther is distinctly Ryan Coogler. Say whatever you will about those films, but they have a clear voice and vision behind them.

You and Willie aren't wrong, and again I understand the instinct to play things a bit safe with this film. But for all their home runs, Marvel has A LOT of forgettable, discard-able films in their catalogue. I'd honestly include Watts' two Spider-Man films in there. I really don't want this to be one too.

If you had a choice between: Taika W, James G and Watts, who would you take?

Personally, I would want other options, but between those three, I’d take Watts. My biggest fear is a “goofy” FF, and I’d be afraid JG or TW would try to turn it into a comedy.

I’ve been doing a lot of rationalizing from last night into this morning. Watts isn’t my first choice... or my third choice... or my tenth choice, but I trust Marvel and Feige.

Marvel could have literally had any director they wanted and they know Watts and they chose Watts.

I’m sure they interviewed many potential directors, some of whom we likely would have been much more excited about than Watts, but he got the job.

What did he say or do to convince them he was right? Did he say things that convinced them he really “got it”? I hope and suspect so.

I’m going to try to sit back and see what happens with an open mind.

I’m willing to admit I was literally excited by Trank’s talent right up until the moment we heard Miles Teller was going to play Reed and it got ugly from there.

I’m hoping Watts will go the opposite way. As we learn more about his vision for the FF, we’ll get more solidly behind him.

Like I say, Feige has looked him in the eye and heard his take on the FF, but we haven’t, so I’ll trust Feige saw something that will excite us when we know more.