With "X-Men: First Class" director Matthew Vaughn joining the developing Fox reboot of Marvel Comics' "Fantastic Four" as producer, director Josh Trank ("Chronicle") said he will be aiming for a more "...grounded superhero and sci-fi..." action adventure.
Currently a screenplay by Jeremy Slater is being 'polished' by best-selling author, screenwriter Seth Grahame-Smith ("Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter").
Just as writer Stan Lee and co-plotter/illustrator Jack Kirby ushered in 'super-heroes with super-problems', with Marvel Comics' "The Fantastic Four" #1 in 1961, forming a cornerstone for Marvel's 1960's ascension from a small division of a publishing company to a pop-culture conglomerate, the new film intends to establish the four members of "The Fantastic Four" dysfunctional family into a realistic and viable movie franchise.
In the beginning, The Fantastic Four's characterization was initially different from all other superheroes, because they did not conceal their identities, leading the public to be both suspicious and in awe of them. Also, they frequently argued and disagreed with each other, hindering their work as a team.
Described at the time as "heroes with hangups", the 'Thing' has a wicked temper, the spoiled 'Human Torch' resents being a teenager among adults, 'Mr. Fantastic' blames himself for the Thing's grotesque transformation, while 'Sue Storm', aka 'The Invisible Woman', is in love with 'Reed Richards, but also has liaisons with 'Namor the Sub-Mariner'.
To date there have been four "The Fantastic Four" animated TV series and two Fox feature films.
The new Fox reboot of "The Fantastic Four" will be released March, 6, 2015.
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