"The Dark Knight," "Sin City" and "Watchmen" have made dark comics films all the rage in Hollywood studios. Now, rumors are circulating that 20th Century Fox might be looking to apply that edgier formula to another "Fantastic Four" film.
According to anonymous sources at IESB, the "Fantastic Four" film franchise could receive a complete overhaul alongside "Daredevil" and "Planet of the Apes," with the studio opting to take those properties into more serious territories with new directors.
The new franchise reboot would also involve building a new cast from scratch, scrapping the Jessica Alba and Michael Chiklis team from "Fantastic Four" and "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer." Previous "Fantastic Four" director Tim Story would also be moved aside in favor of someone new.
If Fox takes a similar approach to Jon Favreau's "Iron Man," which integrated current events like the war in Afghanistan with hot-button issues like the military industrial complex, it would be interesting to see what a new director pulls out of the traditionally family friendly "Fantastic Four" universe. The Marvel Comics series has always thrived on science-fiction stories with cosmic implications, though, and science and the space program are both hot headlining issues right now. With that in mind, "Wanted" co-creator Mark Millar's "Ultimate Fantastic Four" stories could be prime fodder for such material.
Of course, if all they want is more black, there's always Sue "Invisible Woman" Storm's possessed alter ego, "Malice," known for her vampy attire and blonde mullet. Hardcore "Fantastic Four" fans would probably get a kick out such an addition -- or alternatively, the introduction of the Invisible Woman's short-lived but more-revealing alternate uniform, which was aligned to a far more mature-audience style than its predecessors. But keep in mind, all of this talk of a dark turn for Marvel's first family is still rumor at this point.
Do you think "Fantastic Four" is ripe for a dark reboot? Who would you like to see direct the film at Fox? Share your suggestions and thoughts in the comment section below!
