Old MCU Fantastic Four Discussion Thread

[KangConquers]

This is the same problem as "grandma" Aunt May and how her age doesn't make sense in relation to Richard and Mary (since Ben would realistically not be 20 years older than Richard) but the problem with a comic accurate 22-23 year old Sue is her relationship with Reed. It's going to rub a lot of people the wrong way if a 31-36 year old man is dating a College girl.

In the comics, Reed is a decade older than Sue and unless Sue is late 20s-early 30s that's not going to work for most people

My ideal casting ranges for the characters would be:

Ben: Late 30s
Reed: Mid/ Late 30s
Doom: Mid/late 30s
Sue: Mid/ Late 20s
Johnny: Early 20s

Given how far out this movie is (4-5 years minimum) we'd be looking for actors born in the mid-80s for Ben, Late 80s for Reed/ Doom, Mid-late 90s for Sue, and early 2000s for Johnny.

I just realized the entire cast might be younger than me, and that's really depressing.

 

[Marvel united]

Ahhhh the old "Charlize Theron isn't too old to play Captain Marvel" argument (Spoiler, they cast an actress 14 years younger than Theron to play Carol.)

Actually to date, the oldest actress in a superheroine role that they've ever cast was a then 35 year old Zoe Saldana. Scarlet Johansen was cast at 25, Elizabeth Olsen at 24, Evangeline Lilly also at 35, Pom Klementief at 29, Tessa Thompson at 33, Brie Larson at 27. The average Marvel Heroine was first filmed at age 29.

I'd hate to be a bubble buster, but I think the actress who plays Sue Storm will be born in the 1990s.

 

[MasterCat]

I just realized the entire cast might be younger than me, and that's really depressing.

Aww...
As a younger person, I think of late 30s as "Disney Channel parent."
SPOILER:

Spoiler

Gwyneth Paltow's character is getting pregnant at 45

and I hope they don't repeat that with Sue. Marvel's Third Family should mix it up from earlier ones.

 

[FVD]

I reckon the older (and more attractive) Peyton List could make a decent Jennifer Walters or Jessica Drew, however, I've just imagined Eva Mendes as She-Hulk all of a sudden. She might be too old for the character now though.

 

[Dark Raven]

I reckon the older (and more attractive) Peyton List could make a decent Jennifer Walters or Jessica Drew, however, I've just imagined Eva Mendes as She-Hulk all of a sudden. She might be too old for the character now though.

Not Jennifer Walters. Peyton List is a little too tough and hard edged for that. Jennifer Walters is more mousey and shy compared to her She-Hulk persona. Even for She-Hulk, I'm not sure if she'd be quite right.

 

[Crimz]

Not Jennifer Walters. Peyton List is a little too tough and hard edged for that. Jennifer Walters is more mousey and shy compared to her She-Hulk persona. Even for She-Hulk, I'm not sure if she'd be quite right.

That's how she started but as time went on she became more and more like her She-Hulk persona to the point where that seems to be her main personality. She even spends most of her time in her green form (not currently though because.... comics).

 

[Silvermoth]

It’s interesting that Slott is giving the fantastic four a new base in his reboot in the comics at the moment. I wonder if maybe they might skip the Baxter building in the reboot when they get it?

I mean the Thor movie was obviously inspired by the strasyniski run but they still found a way to do Asgard traditionally as well. Maybe they can have both?

 

[Detective Conan]

When/if the MCU gets the rights to Fantastic Four -- one thing that I would like for the MCU to do is improve on the usage of Mr. Fantastic's powers. The Story/Trank films made little use of Reed's powers of elongation and I feel its time to really up the ante in terms of what Reed can do with them.

The only fun/creative use of elastic powers in movies that I can think of is in the Incredibles movies with Elasti-girl. I know those movies are animation but I think those films can provide a blueprint for live-action as well. If done right, Reed's powers can make for some killer action sequences.

 

[MasterCat]

I haven't seen fant4stic, but it's understandable that they didn't do things like that comics page in the Story films because the SFX could look Uncanny Valley.

Maybe they should have a fully-CGI Reed in his early 30s but hire Ioan Gruffudd to voice him.

 

[Dark Raven]

In Fant4stic, they even gave him springs to try to inhibit those powers (translated as "we don't have the budget to actually do this). They seemed to make his main power his intelligence.

 

[Abudefduf]

I know I may get flak for this but I have to say it... Reed is a great character, but his powers suck. They're easily the worst thing about him and no matter how good the effects are, they will always look ridiculous in live action.

 

[Detective Conan]

I know I may get flak for this but I have to say it... Reed is a great character, but his powers suck. They're easily the worst thing about him and no matter how good the effects are, they will always look ridiculous in live action.

I disagree, obviously, since I think Reed's powers are super-cool and as I said before if done right could make for some really riveting set-pieces. I know its not the same thing but if Marvel could tug at your heart-strings with a something as ridiculous as a walking alien tree dying then they it can surely make something far less ridiculous like a man with the power elongate his body look cool and interesting.

 

[Willie Lumpkin]

I actually thought this scene worked pretty well and illustrated how useful Reed's powers can be (the textures in the CGI weren't right, but other than that):

[YT]eY5_xmUE-iA[/YT]

 

[MasterCat]

I know its not the same thing but if Marvel could tug at your heart-strings with a something as ridiculous as a walking alien tree dying then they it can surely make something far less ridiculous like a man with the power to body look cool and interesting.

That's like saying "if a Marvel director could tug your heart-strings with [CGI alien], they could make the CGI in Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within look cool and interesting." Totally different skills.

 

[Detective Conan]

The Story movies got some elements right(they still suck). . Ben going on a temper tantrum out of frustration because of Reed’s lack of progress on finding a cure for him is exactly something he would do in the comics.

 

[Detective Conan]

That's like saying "if a Marvel director could tug your heart-strings with [CGI alien], they could make the CGI in Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within look cool and interesting." Totally different skills.

Either way, my point stands. Marvel has proven to take something that would be regularly dismissed as being ‘too goofy’ or ‘silly’ and getting audiences on board for the ride. Reed’s powers aren’t that sillly looking(certainly not as silly as a walking tree and a talking Raccoon). Marvel has better VFX(a lot of the times) than what Fox had at the time those movies were made and are able realize things in cool visually interesting ways. It can be done.

 

[MasterCat]

A tree-like alien dying is goofy. Live-action stretching powers are Uncanny Valley/Body Horror unless I see proof otherwise. Cinema patrons have proven they like goofy... squicked out, not so much.

 

[Marvel united]

Reeds powers could be a visual spectacle.

 

[Detective Conan]

It all depends on execution as far as I’m concerned.

 

[Willie Lumpkin]

Reeds powers could be a visual spectacle.

It all depends on execution as far as I’m concerned.

Agreed on both points. The Story films had many stretching scenes, but I can't recall anybody complaining about the stretching itself - more about the generally poor quality of the CGI used to show it.

So done right and used effectively, I think it will work.

One of the things that makes the FF unique is they have visually spectacular powers. The MCU has been a little lacking in terms of characters that have that kind of visual appeal IMO. If done right, Reed's stretching could be something to see.

 

[terry78]

Reed basically uses his powers only if need be, unlike the other three who use them offensively pretty often. His intelligence in a fight is usually his main weapon but his malleable nature can be used to scary effect if he decides to. The only limit is his imagination regarding what he can do in a fight like suffocating someone, turning his body into weaponry, growing larger, etc.

 

[Fallen]

My shortlist of directors for Marvel Studios' Fantastic Four:

- Brad Bird (Incredibles 1 & 2, M:I - Ghost Protocol, The Iron Giant).
- Paul King (Paddington 1 & 2).
- Jon Favreau (Elf, Iron Man, The Jungle Book)
- Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris (Little Miss Sunshine).

 

[Detective Conan]

I’ll take all those choices except for Bird who I suspect wouldn’t be interested. He’s already done his family superhero film with the Incredibles films and likely would feel doing a film like that after doing Incredibles 2 would be redundant. I would prefer someone fresh who’s never stepped foot in the superhero realm before.

Edit: whoops missed Jon Faverau. Don’t want him either.

 

[terry78]

I still say let Krasinski do it.

 

[Crimz]

Someone here said the Duffer Brothers and I think that could be interesting.

Noah Hawley might be another interesting choice. He was planning the Doom film which likely isn't happening, but when Marvel gets the rights they could look at his plans and see if he's a good fit.