Fantastic Four Reboot Looks To Recruit Chronicle's Josh Trank

[Brendon Connelly]

It seems like only yesterday that I was reading, and writing, about the last attempt to launch The Fantastic Four as a big screen series. This was when Twin Peaks' Mark Frost and Down With Love director Peyton Reed were hotly tipped to bring us a 60s-set, Rock 'n' Roll adventure for Marvel's first family.

That never happened - I'd say very disappointingly - and what we ended up with, courtesy of Tim Story and a Michael France rewrite, proved somewhat underwhelming, if commercially successful enough to spark one sequel.

Fox's continued attempts to reboot the series have given rise to several rumours over the last few years, but Variety's new on the project story is the most solid, and promising yet:

In a major sign of confidence in his upcoming supervillain pic Chronicle, helmer Josh Trank has emerged as the frontrunner to direct 20th Century Fox?s reboot of Marvel?s Fantastic Four franchise.

If I'm being honest, the traffic that Chronicle stories have been drawing on Bleeding Cool just doesn't compare to the interest in many other action-adventure or thriller films. As yet, it's been flying somewhat under the radar - thanks, I'm sure, to there being no big marquee names involved.

But I think that is all going to change after the week of release, when we'll have a new cult smash, and Trank and John Landis start scooping up fanboy love in buckets.

And as such, taking a punt on Trank for Chronicle is likely to pay dividends for Fox in the long run. Right now they're framing him up for The Fantastic Four, but I'm sure he's now the most obvious "deputy" should Matthew Vaughn decide not to take charge with the next X-Men picture.

I should be seeing Chronicle myself very, very soon. Here's hoping everything I've been told is true.

[Qward-O]

What the hell is wrong with FOX? They've mishandled ALL of their comic book properties since X-Men 3 and both Fantastic Four films.

They just don't have a clue.

[Brendon Connelly]

What the hell is wrong with FOX? They've mishandled ALL of their comic book properties since X-Men 3 and both Fantastic Four films.

They just don't have a clue.

It's interesting you've come out against this decision so strongly. What has Trank done to offend you?

[Mart]

Interesting point about the Chronicle traffic - I've not clicked on any of this week's many Chronicle posts before now as I'd not heard of the film, and the title made it sound like a dry history thing. But your mention of John Landis intrigued and I popped over to IMDB - sounds interesting.

I must say, I enjoyed both FF films well enough, just light-hearted, fast-moving fun. I love the idea of a Sixties-set film, though - not that we're getting it!

[Peter J Poole]

It's interesting you've come out against this decision so strongly. What has Trank done to offend you?

And good luck with that search for rationality...

Personally, I think rebooting FF is even more redundant that rebooting Spider-Man... The cast from the first two movies could more than competently have done a third, covering the Negative Zone and the eventual birth of Franklin...

Oh well... so it goes.

Cheers

[Mart]

And good luck with that search for rationality...

Personally, I think rebooting FF is even more redundant that rebooting Spider-Man... The cast from the first two movies could more than competently have done a third, covering the Negative Zone and the eventual birth of Franklin...

Oh well... so it goes.

Cheers

Indeedy doody. Unless there are suddenly massive stars in the franchise, I don't think it makes too much difference to the general public who's in the film. I'm all for continuity between the films, the actors are all good to very good, just gve 'em a decent script and director and stand well back.

[thekeith82]

I'm really hoping Chronicle turns out to be as good as it looks. If it does, this could be very good news indeed. Fingers crossed.

[Mart]

By the way, Rise of the Silver Surfer is showing on the UK's Channel 4 tonight.

[Comicsfan101]

And good luck with that search for rationality...

Personally, I think rebooting FF is even more redundant that rebooting Spider-Man... The cast from the first two movies could more than competently have done a third, covering the Negative Zone and the eventual birth of Franklin...

Oh well... so it goes.

Cheers

I've never understood the outright hatred of the FF movies. Yes, the second one could have been better - maybe stronger is the word I'm looking for - and some of the effects decisions in the second were especially questionable, but I thought the actors did well in their roles and, overall, they were pretty fun movies. Were there things that could have been done better? Certainly, but I've seen far worse comics adaptions.

[Captain Comet]

Fantastic Four First Class?