Fox sets 'Fantastic' reboot

Akiva Goldsman has been set as producer

By MICHAEL FLEMING

While Disney lays down a $4 billion bet on the future of Marvel's superheroes, 20th Century Fox has already begun overhauling one of its big Marvel franchises, "Fantastic Four," to take the property beyond the two films already made.

Akiva Goldsman has been hired to oversee the reboot as producer. Michael Green, the co-exec producer of TV's "Heroes" who co-wrote "Green Lantern," will write the script for the new "Fantastic Four."

Fox wouldn't comment on its plans, but the moves are evidence that Marvel franchises do have enduring lifespans.

As "Spider-Man 4" moves toward an early 2010 production start, Columbia Pictures recently hired James Vanderbilt to write a fifth and sixth installment with the understanding that one or both of those films would give the franchise a makeover with a new director and cast (Daily Variety, Aug. 16).

More than one option

• (Co) Daily Variety
  Filmography, Year, Role
• (Co) Daily Variety

The 2005 "Fantastic Four" and 2007 sequel "Rise of the Silver Surfer" were directed by Tim Story and starred Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans and Michael Chiklis. Since the deals for the reboot are just getting made, it is unclear if any of them will return.

Though Marvel Entertainment owns and finances properties like "Iron Man" and "Thor," Fox controls "Fantastic Four" in perpetuity -- as long as it continues making the films. Fox has the same arrangement on Marvel Comics properties "X-Men," "Daredevil" and "Silver Surfer." Marvel is a producer and financial participant through a licensing agreement.

Though the related Silver Surfer character soared in the "Fantastic Four" sequel, that iconic personality has remained a priority project for his own film at the studio.

Fox has so far done one "X-Men" spinoff in "Wolverine." The studio is working on a sequel to that film and has scripts for "X-Men Origins: First Class," and "X-Men Origins: Magneto." Potential spinoffs for the Gambit and Deadpool characters have also been discussed.

As producer, Goldsman is involved with several DC Comics transfers, including "Jonah Hex," "The Losers" and "Teen Titans." He was also producer of the Will Smith-Charlize Theron superhero film "Hancock," for which a sequel is being developed.

Fantastic Four is Already Getting Remade?

#1 FANTASTIC FOUR ALREADY GETTING A REMAKE

IESB.net broke the exclusive news this week that 20th Century Fox, which is developing reboots of Marvel's Daredevil and their Planet of the Apes franchise, now also has plans to reboot Fantastic Four completely from scratch. This means none of the same cast will return, and most importantly (I think) neither will director Tim Story, who arguably exaggerated the lighter aspects of the classic Marvel Comics title, so much that it became just plain goofy and basically a kids movie. Both recent movies were hits ($290 million and $330 million), but they were also critically reviled (26% and 35% on the Tomatometer), and are generally unpopular with comics fans. IESB.net says that Fox wants the new version to be "less bubble gum" and more like Iron Man. No writer or director has been hired yet. Although I am very much in favor of Fantastic Four getting a fresh start at the movies (because I've been a lifelong fan and didn't see the comic I love in the movies) it's regrettable that the reboot will apparently not be done in conjunction with Marvel Studios, and that means that the Fantastic Four won't be able to rejoin the rest of the Marvel Universe in any upcoming Marvel productions. As for what I hope the next version of Fantastic Four is like, here are some thoughts: A) we don't need another origin story; B) Doctor Doom can also take a break for a while; and C) the emphasis should be on the quartet having strange adventures around the world, because to me those were always the best stories (i.e. Atlantis, Wakanda, Monster Isle, Attilan and the Inhumans, etc.)