Old MCU Fantastic Four Discussion Thread

[Iceman]

I'm 90% sure they'll play David Bowie's "Space Oddity" or "Life on Mars" during an eventual Fantastic Four trailer. I can see it already.

That would be a big win for me. Absolutely love those songs, and they'd fit perfectly.

 

[BobJM]

Liev Schrieber as Ben Grimm. Great actor and his voice in ITSV is exactly how I'd imagine the Thing to sound.

He would definitely be a good pick. Perfect voice.

 

[Sterling Archer]

He would definitely be a good pick. Perfect voice.

He's also Jewish, so would correctly represent Ben Grimm's background.

 

[Iceman]

Liev would be a great pick. I wouldn't expect too many complaints if he got cast.

 

[Crimz]

The Solve Everything production company is almost definitely Fantastic Four, and that might mean that they will take a lot of inspiration from Hickman's Fantastic Four run.
I love that run, but it's also a story that requires tons of set-up beforehand. It incorporated decades of FF history and I worry that moments and story beats won't have the same impact if they rush things.

 

[BobJM]

The Solve Everything production company is almost definitely Fantastic Four, and that might mean that they will take a lot of inspiration from Hickman's Fantastic Four run.
I love that run, but it's also a story that requires tons of set-up beforehand. It incorporated decades of FF history and I worry that moments and story beats won't have the same impact if they rush things.

My first thought is that it’s just a nod to the comics rather than a hint of what’s to actually come. Personally, I hope we get something that feels closer to the early Lee/Kirby stories but with modern Hickman elements & flares (like the “Solve Everything” driver, the Future Foundation, etc.)

I also want a young toddler Franklin already in the mix.

 

[Crimz]

My first thought is that it’s just a nod to the comics rather than a hint of what’s to actually come. Personally, I hope we get something that feels closer to the early Lee/Kirby stories but with modern Hickman elements & flares (like the “Solve Everything” driver, the Future Foundation, etc.)

I also want a young toddler Franklin already in the mix.

It could be both.
The only thing I want from the original run is the craziness of the adventures. I think that's where that run excelled. The character motivations, interaction, and characterization are all much better in later runs (except Ben, he was perfect from the start).

I personally want Franklin in subsequent films and the first to focus solely on the four. I'd want Reed and Sue to be already married, but only a have been for few months to year so things are still relatively new for their relationship.

 

[Shinobi Shaw]

My roster/players are this so far:

Keanu Reeves as Mister Fantastic
Anne Hathaway as The Invisible Woman
Dacre Montgomery as The Human Torch
Jason Segel as The Thing

Liev could work as Ben Grimm also, I like that idea.

 

[Detective Conan]

Part of the reason I’m anticipating Eternals so much is because I view it as a gauge for how big and cosmic Marvel is willing to go in preparation for FF(the ultimate Stan and Jack creation). Feige has made it no secret they plan to go full-on Kirby with Eternals and won’t play it safe. That’s the exact same approach they should take with FF.

 

[BobJM]

Still think it makes sense to start off smaller in terms of villain (like Vulture in Homecoming), so Mad Thinker is my pick for the first movie.

He has a long history with the team, and is primed for a modern take/update. The MCU could easily take the character and run with him.

below’s my updated pitch in light of Watts announcement (featuring Mad Thinker & the Awesome Android, Moloids, The Negative Zone, and more)

MARVEL’S FANTASTIC FOUR
directed by John Watts

Reed Richards
Jay Ellis, 38

Sue Storm
Ana de Armas, 32

Johnny Storm
Anthony Ramos, 29

Ben Grimm
Channing Tatum, 40

Mad Thinker & the Awesome Android:
Tom Hanks (& Billy Magnussen, voice & mo-cap)

HERBIE (v.o.): Bill Hader
ROBERTA (v.o.): Maya Rudolph
Alicia Masters: Rose Byrne
Wyatt Wingfoot: Booboo Stewart
Willie Lumpkin: Carl Weathers
Leland Baxter: Stan Lee (photograph reference only, no CGI recreation)
Uatu: Jeffrey Wright

Victor von Doom
Cillian Murphy, 44

synopsis

After exposure to cosmic rays during an unauthorized spaceflight in an experimental rocket ship, Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, & the Thing utilize their newfound superpowers and band together to defend the world against perilous threats as the Fantastic Four.

Today, Marvel’s First Family square off against the nefarious criminal mastermind known only as the Mad Thinker and his Awesome Android, an artificial lifeform with super strength, durability, and ability to mimic their powers & more! But when the Android evolves beyond its programming & breaks from the Thinker’s oppressive control, the Fantastic Four must find a way to save the universe from this god-like being—even if it means a trip into the Negative Zone!

NOTE: The Android is an amalgamation of the comics version, Marvel’s Super Adaptoid, & Bruce Timm’s DCAU AMAZO (i.e. redemption arc & “emancipation from creator” storyline). In the film, we also learn that Adaptoid’s voice is patterned after Thinker’s estranged son (also played by Magnussen in the film)—even our villains have a heart, and a family. The Android, who will later be referred to as Andy, can pop up in later She-Hulk seasons as he does in the comics source material, or member of the Future Foundation. Andy’s ascension to godhood incites an intervention from Uatu the Watcher.

In a plan to defeat the Awesome Android, Reed hypothesizes that the only way to combat its positive power output is with a direct negative input (science!) which can be achieved by tapping into the Negative Zone. The team will learn along the way that the ‘cosmic’ rays that gifted them their powers weren’t cosmic at all, but energies from the Negative Zone leaking into our universe—one such rupture in reality that’ll capture the attention of Annihilus and his Annihilation wave for a later sequel / MCU event.

POST-CREDITS: Dr. Doom sits in his throne room, replaying footage of the Fantastic Four in action on every monitor (replaying the scene earlier where they met Uatu, but much to Doom’s frustration, the Watcher wasn’t captured on video. Camera pulls out to a quick glimpse of his castle overlooking Latveria before cutting to BLACK.

concept art / visual story cues

Monster Isle (opening action sequence)
An excavation by Harvey Elder’s dig company has unearthed the Moloids on a remote island in the Pacific Ocean. Our intro to the FF is them rescuing the workers & helping restore peace for the disturbed Moloids.

(Moloids should be humorous, but still a threat to the civilian workers—think of them as the MCU’s very own “Minions”)

Future Foundation
Reed has already established the Future Foundation through the Baxter Building’s grant funding in order to “solve everything.” At his keynote speech, Reed introduces his family & retells their first mission, i.e. their origin story, aided with holographic & video elements (during which we see the first implications that Reed still feels guilt over the accident & blames himself / his hubris).

Andy the Awesome Android

Mad Thinker

The Fantasticar
The car’s converted from Reed & Ben’s beloved minivan from college for cross-dimensional travel.

The Negative Zone

Feature multiple costumes for different missions, ie. traveling into the Negative Zone

HQ / Baxter Building
Leland Baxter bought Avengers tower as a STEM passion project, hoping the building & its resources would attract the world’s brightest young minds to push beyond the frontiers of the known universe. He’s since passed, but left his massive fortune for the next generation to shape the future.

HERBIE & ROBERTA
Baxter Building’s support robots have their hands full with the FF—especially baby Franklin, who they watch while the team’s away on dangerous adventures.

Post-credits

Click to expand...

sequel characters casting

King Namor: Yoson An
Norrin Radd / Silver Surfer: Mena Massoud

Lucia von Bardas: Matilda De Angelis
Red Ghost: Sharlto Copley
Mole Man: Jermaine Clement
Annihilus: Temeura Morrison
Kang: Jonathan Majors
Galactus: Keanu Reeves

Black Bolt: Henry Cavill
Medusa: Charlize Theron
Maximus the Mad: Andrew Scott
Gorgon: Édgar Ramírez
Karnak: Dev Patel
Triton: Chris Pang
Crystal: Elle Fanning

Dr. Amadeus Cho: Jin Ha
Abigail Brand: Katee Sackhoff
Gen. Franklin Storm: Sam Neill

note: not all casting is final & subject to further edits

 

[Crimz]

I've grown on the Mole Man suggestion. His monsters can pose a real threat to the team and we've never seen superheros fight Kaiju-like monsters before. The only downside is that would be another story set on earth and the FF should be exploring the cosmos.

Also, when do you guys think will be a realistic time that they'll reveal casting info?
As soon as next year? Or is that too early?

 

[WatchProtect]

I'd say at whatever conference they have next year (D23, Comic Con, investor meeting) we'll get our first reveals

 

[Detective Conan]

I've grown on the Mole Man suggestion. His monsters can pose a real threat to the team and we've never seen superheros fight Kaiju-like monsters before. The only downside is that would be another story set on earth and the FF should be exploring the cosmos.

I’d actually prefer they remain on Earth in the first film. I want them on Earth fighting monsters and exploring earth based places like Atlantis and other ancient civilizations first before they venture out to space. Your idea sounds like the right direction for the first film. It’s already newer and fresh enough that it would feel totally different from the previous iterations even if it is set on Earth. I would prefer they save the space adventures for the sequels.

 

[Crimz]

I’d actually prefer they remain on Earth in the first film. I want them on Earth fighting monsters and exploring earth based places like Atlantis and other ancient civilizations first before they venture out to space. Your idea sounds like the right direction for the first film. I would prefer they save the space adventures for the sequels.

I'd agree, but every previous iteration had them earthbound and many of their best adventures happen off earth.

 

[Marvel united]

Jack Black as Harvey Elder? (Mole Man)

 

[Kev4000]

I dont want to play the party pooper here but it will be released 2023 earliest and with 3 years minimum gap between the movies. The actors should be 35 max.

 

[Ctfxcwatcher]

This will be the 3rd reboot in 15 years for F4. Marvel is gonna wanna do something different than the previous F4 movies to the point where I wouldn't be surprised if the entire team is POC. Margot Robbie has always been my dream pick for Sue but that will never happen.

Someone who I think might be on Marvel's radar in general(maybe even for Sue) is Naomi Scott. She's pretty and a good actress from the things I've seen her in.
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She is 27 years old now but bout time they start working on the film or when it comes out, she will probably be entering her 30s.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

I dont want to play the party pooper here but it will be released 2023 earliest and with 3 years minimum gap between the movies. The actors should be 35 max.

Indeed.

A lot of fan casts for Johnny for instance... Many of those dudes will be mid 30's, pushing on 40 by the time they get to filming and releasing this. I mean... Anyone that acts the way we expect Johnny to and who is 31-33 years old isn't a "Youth" who is acting on caprice and ignorance... Someone that age acting like that would be neither a professional anything nor someone that you would trust on any kind of dangerous mission.

Make Johnny an actual teena and that is cleared up. He's a teen and teens are ****ing morons but it's both understandable and forgivable. Like with Evans in the part... That Johnny isn't a fun character to me beacause I'm sorry... He was both a full assed grown man and supposed to be an astronaut, read either already an Airforce pilot or scientist... Who in no way acted like it and in acting as Johnny is expected to, didn't endear or entertain all that much an I think the issue is that Johny IS immature in so many ways as a defining trait. But when you cast that in the form of someone well over 21 years old the things you can forgive in a 16-19 year old is less so, especially if you tell the audience the character is a scientist/airforce vet/astronaut.

 

[Crimz]

Indeed.

A lot of fan casts for Johnny for instance... Many of those dudes will be mid 30's, pushing on 40 by the time they get to filming and releasing this. I mean... Anyone that acts the way we expect Johnny to and who is 31-33 years old isn't a "Youth" who is acting on caprice and ignorance... Someone that age acting like that would be neither a professional anything nor someone that you would trust on any kind of dangerous mission.

Make Johnny an actual teena and that is cleared up. He's a teen and teens are ****ing morons but it's both understandable and forgivable. Like with Evans in the part... That Johnny isn't a fun character to me beacause I'm sorry... He was both a full assed grown man and supposed to be an astronaut, read either already an Airforce pilot or scientist... Who in no way acted like it and in acting as Johnny is expected to, didn't endear or entertain all that much an I think the issue is that Johny IS immature in so many ways as a defining trait. But when you cast that in the form of someone well over 21 years old the things you can forgive in a 16-19 year old is less so, especially if you tell the audience the character is a scientist/airforce vet/astronaut.

Yeah the actor playing Johnny should be able to realistically play a High School teenager or College freshman at the most.
The reason he's on the "mission"? Reed's hubris should be the biggest factor plus have it that he's threatening to tell on them about their little joyride. It's the annoying kid-brother thing to do.

 

[Willie Lumpkin]

I've grown on the Mole Man suggestion. His monsters can pose a real threat to the team and we've never seen superheros fight Kaiju-like monsters before. The only downside is that would be another story set on earth and the FF should be exploring the cosmos.

Also, when do you guys think will be a realistic time that they'll reveal casting info?
As soon as next year? Or is that too early?

I would hang a sign on the wall that says: “It’s the visuals, stupid.”

Spectacular, alien landscapes combined with “monsters” of some sort characterized the FF when they were so revolutionary in the early ‘60s.

I think the first film should explore some alien world with alien creatures. That could be the Negative Zone or outer space or the microverse or subterranea...

So Moleman would fit that concept perfectly.

I would cross off options that won’t give us those alien visuals - Puppet Master, Mad Thinker, Frightful Four etc.

And even Dr. Doom ( though he can be present in some form ).

To me, that’s how you capture the elements that made FF unique while also creating something different than the previous small FF films... and other superhero films - which are sometimes set in alien environments but have never explored those alien environments with a sense of wonder and the anticipation and danger of the unknown.

 

[Willie Lumpkin]

Using the idea that Winter Soldier wasn’t a typical superhero film, but was more of a spy-thriller, here are five classic non-superhero films I would use to give a sense of the feel I’d like to see in a first FF film:

King Kong
Planet of the Apes
Alien
Jaws
Jurassic Park

Not the sequels or remakes, but the originals.

I would try to create a film that has the sense of danger and anticipation that those films have.

I’d have moments that are slow-paced and quiet as they make their way through a world they know nothing about in which ANYTHING could be around any corner.

Then fast-paced, exciting action as the danger arrives, then another slow section to build anticipation for the next battle.

 

[BobJM]

Jack Black as Harvey Elder? (Mole Man)

He’d be good. I’ve been partial to Jemaine Clement lately for the role:

 

[BobJM]

This will be the 3rd reboot in 15 years for F4. Marvel is gonna wanna do something different than the previous F4 movies to the point where I wouldn't be surprised if the entire team is POC. Margot Robbie has always been my dream pick for Sue but that will never happen.

Someone who I think might be on Marvel's radar in general(maybe even for Sue) is Naomi Scott. She's pretty and a good actress from the things I've seen her in.
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She is 27 years old now but bout time they start working on the film or when it comes out, she will probably be entering her 30s.

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I like her for Lois Lane, tbh but she’d be a good Sue as well

 

[BobJM]

I would hang a sign on the wall that says: “It’s the visuals, stupid.”

Spectacular, alien landscapes combined with “monsters” of some sort characterized the FF when they were so revolutionary in the early ‘60s.

I think the first film should explore some alien world with alien creatures. That could be the Negative Zone or outer space or the microverse or subterranea...

So Moleman would fit that concept perfectly.

I would cross off options that won’t give us those alien visuals - Puppet Master, Mad Thinker, Frightful Four etc.

And even Dr. Doom ( though he can be present in some form ).

To me, that’s how you capture the elements that made FF unique while also creating something different than the previous small FF films... and other superhero films - which are sometimes set in alien environments but have never explored those alien environments with a sense of wonder and the anticipation and danger of the unknown.

Agreed that Mole Man seems most likely, but the only positive that comes with him IMO is Monster Isle and the Moloids. So why not introduce those concepts separate from/before Harvey? The Moloids can be a race that the FF stumble upon in an action sequence. Introduce them first, then in a later movie they can return onscreen—only this time as enslaved creatures under Mole Man’s rule. The audience will already have a reason to dislike this villain.

With Mad Thinker, or someone like Wizard, you could play up the comparisons to Reed (ie the responsibility of his huge brain & the ramifications of these super geniuses’ inventions). The explorer/otherworldly trappings can still be included with the Moloids as mentioned, or further adventures in the Negative Zone, etc.

Plus; them taking on the Thinker and his Awesome Android as it’s evolving and gaining more sentience/personality could be the human angle this film could adopt to set it apart from other MCU offerings. They’re not superhero smashers like the Avengers— Reed & his family genuinely want to help Andy the Android understand it’s place in the growing cosmos.

Maybe at the end of the film, Andy goes off and finds himself living with the Moloids for a better understanding of life lol

 

[BobJM]

Indeed.

A lot of fan casts for Johnny for instance... Many of those dudes will be mid 30's, pushing on 40 by the time they get to filming and releasing this. I mean... Anyone that acts the way we expect Johnny to and who is 31-33 years old isn't a "Youth" who is acting on caprice and ignorance... Someone that age acting like that would be neither a professional anything nor someone that you would trust on any kind of dangerous mission.

Make Johnny an actual teena and that is cleared up. He's a teen and teens are ****ing morons but it's both understandable and forgivable. Like with Evans in the part... That Johnny isn't a fun character to me beacause I'm sorry... He was both a full assed grown man and supposed to be an astronaut, read either already an Airforce pilot or scientist... Who in no way acted like it and in acting as Johnny is expected to, didn't endear or entertain all that much an I think the issue is that Johny IS immature in so many ways as a defining trait. But when you cast that in the form of someone well over 21 years old the things you can forgive in a 16-19 year old is less so, especially if you tell the audience the character is a scientist/airforce vet/astronaut.

I don’t think Evans’ age was the issue (he was 23-34 during filming)—it was the writing. A college-aged Johnny can still be dumb lol

I think 25-early 30s is an okay range for Johnny. He’s a college/post-college aged hotshot. It’s long past time time Johnny started figuring out his life—something Sue likes to remind him when’s he’s goofing off.

I include actors in their 30s because Hollywood always casts up. Tom Holland is 24 playing a 16 year old still. And, understood, that not all actors can play younger convincingly but I’m open to seeing suggestions. If the MCU Spider-Man continues after all these multiverse shenanigans, I’d like to see Peter off to Empire State University, so an older cast Johnny would play into that as well.