Anghus Houvouras on how to fix the Fantastic Four franchise…
Fantastic Four is one of those cinematic enigmas. A concept that’s been around almost as long as Marvel Comics. A well-known, well established group of characters that are high on recognition factor but low on the public’s interest level. We’ve suffered through four terrible Fantastic Four movies, and everyone has a theory on how to fix this broken mess: Get Marvel Studios involved. Embrace the weirdness of the original concept. Make everything closer to the Kirby era comics. Insert fanboy rage here.
The truth is we haven’t gotten a Fantastic Four that hasn’t been sullied by heavy revisionism or being grounded in reality. But I think there’s a bigger problem. We’re living in the era of superhero comics, and let’s face it: The Fantastic Four are hardly a revelation. Not in this era of comic book adaptation excess.
The paradigms of the main character have been done. We’ve seen the super genius forced to use his brains to save the world from evil. We’ve seen the tortured soul trying to come to grips with the Monster within. The Fantastic Four (and any group superhero movie) faces an uphill battle in the wake of everything Marvel has done since launching Phase One.
Like many of you, I was excited for the new Fantastic Four movie, if for no other reason than I wanted to see something different. I like the Marvel movies, but the formula is becoming tired. For me, seeing the Fox panel at Comic-Con was a confidence builder. I’d like to see Fox step up their game with their superhero properties. Right now the comic book movie discussions are all centered on Marvel Studios vs. DC/Warner Bros. Fox looks like they’re forging some new and interesting frontiers with stuff like Deadpool and X-Men: Apocalypse.
But how to fix the Fantastic Four? No matter which angle they have tackled the material, it hasn’t worked. So maybe it’s time to rethink the whole concept of the Fantastic Four and what makes them interesting. Maybe instead of focusing on our four super-powered space travellers (or inter-dimensional wanderers), you focus on the most dynamic character in their collective universe.
Make a Doctor Doom movie.
Victor Von Doom is a character that has been repeatedly savaged in the cinemas. They strip the character down to his most megalomaniacal traits and turn him into a scenery chewing would-be world dominator without purpose. Doom’s history is rich, and the character has so much potential. If only someone would give his character the attention he so richly deserves.
Marvel Studios has been getting a lot of well deserved grief for their weak villain portrayals. Fox could care themselves a nice little niche by being the studio that launches the first big budget super-villain adaptation.
Doctor Doom is the most iconic villain in Marvel’s line up, and it’s a small tragedy that three major Hollywood adaptations have done such a poor job with the character. The Fantastic Four has been done, both literally and figuratively. Their story isn’t unique enough in this current cinematic landscape to interest anyone.
But a Doctor Doom movie? That could change everything.
What do you think about Fox doing a Doctor Doom movie? Who would you cast? Who should direct?
Anghus Houvouras is a North Carolina based writer and filmmaker and the co-host of Across the Pondcast. Follow him on Twitter.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL18yMRIfoszEaHYNDTy5C-cH9Oa2gN5ng&v=8k_v0cVxqEY
Originally published August 8, 2015. Updated April 15, 2018.
