HOLLYWOOD—It’s hard to believe that 20thCentury Fox is rebooting the “Fantastic Four” franchise, but it is indeed happening. A new installment to the comic book superheroes is expected to arrive in theaters on March 6, 2015. The last installment in the franchise “Fantastic Four: Rise of Silver Surfer” was released in 2007, and while many thought the picture was an epic fail, I found the film to be superior to its predecessor. The only gripe I had with the picture was the pacing was a bit off.
The franchise’s original stars Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, Ioan Gruffudd and Michael Chiklis are not expected to return. So just who will portray the Invisible Girl, The Human Torch, Mr. Fantastic and The Thing is still up in the air, but I have a feeling this reboot is expected to have a darker tone. There is quite a bit in terms of stories that the writers can pull from the comic book universe, so I do indeed expect a picture along the lines of “Batman Begins.”
There is so much the franchise can do with Doctor Doom who is considered a super villain in the comic universe. “Fantastic Four: Rise of Silver Surfer” tapped on that darkness slightly, but his evil intentions can be taken to new heights where the audience could be taken on a roller coaster ride.
The March 6, 2015 is a tentative release date for the picture, so anything can change in the next year or two.
By LaDale Anderson
