Last month filmmaker David Slade (The Twilight Saga: Eclipse) chose to vacate the director’s chair on 20th Century Fox’s proposed Daredevil reboot, leaving the studio facing an uphill task to get the project into production before October 10th, at which point the rights to the character are set to revert back to Marvel Studios. According to Variety, Fox has been in discussions with Joe Carnahan (Smokin’ Aces, The A-Team, The Grey) about taking over directing duties on Daredevil for what is described as a “Frank Miller-esque, hardcore 70s thriller,” and although no formal offer has been made, it’s understood that Carnahan is Fox’s preferred choice to tackle the Man Without Fear.
However, with the clock ticking on Daredevil, Variety is reporting that Marvel Studios has now extended Fox an olive branch, offering to allow them more time to get the film into production in exchange for the rights to certain characters from Fox’s Fantastic Four package – specifically, the world-devouring Galactus and his herald, the Silver Surfer. It’s understood that Fox are considering Marvel’s offer and talks between the two parties are likely to resume later in the week. Should Fox accept, it would obviously restrict Chronicle helmer Josh Trank from using the cosmic characters in his currently-in-development Fantastic Four reboot.
With Marvel Studios’ Phase Two seemingly building to a showdown between Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and Thanos in The Avengers 2, you’d have to expect that Galactus is being eyed as the villain for The Avengers 3, and considering the hash that Fox made of the character’s brief appearance in Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer, I’m sure fans would be more than happy to see the Destroyer of Worlds back in the Marvel Studios camp. Meanwhile Fox is said to have a solid script for the Daredevil reboot, so it’s possible this trade could work out well for everyone involved.
Update – Deadline are now denying that any talks have taken place between Fox and Marvel Studios over the rights to Galactus and the Silver Surfer, and that Fox are likely to allow the rights to Daredevil to revert back to Marvel, unless Disney is interested in co-financing the reboot. I guess we’ll find out the truth soon enough.
Originally published August 7, 2012. Updated December 6, 2019.
