Are We Fatefully Predestined for a Marvelous Four Reboot Every Decade or So?
Are We Fatefully Predestined for a Marvelous Four Reboot Every Decade or So?
When the film "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" hits theaters later this year, it'll be the fourth occasion in a row that something significant happens. In the past four decades, a freshly rebooted "Fantastic Four" movie has been produced four times. Remarkably, they've all taken place nearly exactly 10 years apart. Is this a positive indication for this new movie or does it suggest a newly revamped film in 2035? Let's delve deeper.
The most renowned "Fantastic Four" film to date was released in July 2005. Directed by Tim Story, it featured Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, and Michael Chiklis as Marvel's original family. Despite split opinions, it was popular enough to warrant a sequel in 2007, titled "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer". Regrettably, it wasn't as successful, and this run of the Fantastic Four came to an end (until Evans resurfaced in "Deadpool & Wolverine", of course).
Ten years and one month later, in August 2015, a new version of the team was unveiled. Directed by Josh Trank, Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Michael B. Jordan, and Jamie Bell starred in the movie this time around. Despite having its moments, production issues ultimately surfaced on screen, leading to a critical and financial failure.
Now, it's been another 10 years, and in July once again, yet another Fantastic Four team is approaching. This time, the crew is led by Matt Shankman, with Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach in the roles. The twist here is that as Disney acquired Fox, these Fantastic Four are now part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Although we didn't forget about the original, Roger Corman's "Fantastic Four" film never saw an official release due to rights issues, but it started to become well-known in the summer of 1994. That throws off our "exactly 10 years" theory, but only by a few months.
Aside from the peculiarity that, since the 1990s, new "Fantastic Four" teams have been introduced in movies almost exactly a decade apart (1994, 2005, 2015, and 2025 respectively), what does this say about the franchise? It's rather apparent, isn't it? None of the creative teams behind the scenes have managed to crack the formula that has made the comic book characters, who debuted in 1961, so successful. However, maybe this fourth time will indeed bring charm. At least we hope so. What are your thoughts?
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The upcoming release of "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" in 2025, happening nearly a decade after the last film, raises questions about the franchise's continued reliance on technology and the ability of filmmakers to create a successful adaptation of the beloved comic book characters. According to io9, this pattern of frequent reboots suggests that the industry is eager to explore the future potential of these characters through the lens of modern technology in movies.