Fantastic 4

[MacGuffin]

Astin directing "Fantastic Four"?
Source: Dark Horizons

Brazilian journalist Rodrigo Salem from SET Magazine, the biggest movie magazine in Brazil, went to New York to work on the LOTR junket and talked a bit to Sean Astin about his upcoming projects. That interview has now finally hit shelves and reveals the former hobbit is keen on helming a certain superhero movie Fox is having difficulty finding a director for. Here's a transcript:

Question: You were highly praised over your short movie The Long and Short of It which is in The Two Towers DVD. Do you have any plans of directing something bigger?

Sean Astin: Oh, yeah! I always wanted to act and direct with the same intensity but only now I've found the way to get to directing. Right now I'm running to be the director of this US$ 100, US$130 million movie which the studio wants to release in the end of 2004 and it has a huge effect in pop culture. I got a meeting scheduled but I can't talk about it yet.

Question: Is it a comic book adaptation?

Sean Astin: You figured it out, huh?

Question: You're running for the director's chair of Fantastic Four, right?

Sean Astin: Yes.

Question: You've got some pretty heavy competition ahead of you. I heard Steven Soderbergh is interested and that he was offered the job by the studio specially because he could bring George Clooney as Reed Richards.

Sean Astin: Yeah but I'm a friend of George Clooney too (laughs). I think he would make a perfect Reed Richards.

Question: And who would be your Human Torch?

Sean Astin: Oh, he's right over there. Orlando Bloom.

[MacGuffin]

A new casting rumor about The Thing!

According to Dark Horizons, Oscar-nominee Michael Clarke Duncan (The Green Mile) has met with the producers of the Fantastic Four about playing Ben Grimm, a.k.a. The Thing, in the big-screen version of the Marvel comic. The site offered no further details on the alleged meeting.

Duncan is no stranger to Marvel movies, having portrayed Wilson "The Kingpin" Fisk in Daredevil. The gargantuan thesp is also used to acting under a pile of make-up as his turn in Tim Burton's Planet of the Apes proved.

Big Mike's other roles include Armageddon, The Whole Nine Yards, and The Scorpion King.

There is currently no director attached to the Mark Frost-scripted Fantastic Four, although actor-filmmaker Sean Astin recently confirmed that he's in the running to helm it.

Filming on the $100+ million 20th Century Fox-based project will reportedly begin this year in Vancouver. Fantastic Four is said to have a July 1, 2005 release date, which would have put it into direct competition with Indiana Jones IV. But with Indy IV now indefinitely postponed due to script rewrites, Fantastic Four could have that berth all to itself. Unless, of course, it's true that Batman: Intimidation will also open that day.

[Henry Hill]

I read a little blurb awhile ago that Jessica Simpson and her twins coveted a role in Fantastic 4....

[MacGuffin]

Fantastic Four is fine

Marvel producer Avi Arad put to rest several rumors. On the notion that Fantastic Four has been plagued by constant battles between hopeful directors from Steven Soderbergh to Sean Astin, Arad confirmed he has decided on a director. He just wouldn’t say whom.

“We have a director,” Arad said. “I cannot tell you who he is until Tuesday.”

As for why previous directors like Peyton Reed dropped out, Arad said, “It wasn’t difficult to keep a director. Sometimes directors look at a project and get off another project, they want to go home for a little bit of time. Listen, the toughest thing is to write the script, mental, mental toughness. But then a director comes on board and it’s a very physical challenge. It’s a year and a half of your life. If your family calls, it’s annoying. You don’t want them to call, yet you miss them. Two o’clock in the morning in the rain somewhere, it’s physically [demanding]. No director finishes a movie, young ones in great shape, that don’t end up exhausted, sometimes in the hospital, because it’s physically very tough to do. So sometimes you look at the size of a movie and what it would take to do it and you say, ‘I don't know if I want to go there because if I screw this one up, I’m going to movie jail. Or if I take this job, I’m going to give up a lot of [time with] family and friends and health.’ So there are so many ingredients to it. We needed for this movie a director that’s a genius with relationships. It’s a movie about relationships.”

Studio concerns over the high budget required to realize Fantastic Four as a movie were assuaged by the success of previous Marvel films. “Confidence, box office, $500 million X-Men 2. Fantastic Four should be a pretty good business.”
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Who Is Directing Fantastic Four?
Source: IGN FilmForce

Marvel Studios honcho Avi Arad recently advised About.com, "We have a director [for Fantastic Four but] I cannot tell you who he is until Tuesday. ... We needed for this movie a director that's a genius with relationships. It's a movie about relationships."

IGN FilmForce knows who that "genius" is. We've been able to confirm that Barbershop director Tim Story has landed the gig. Story's next release is the English-language remake of Taxi, starring Queen Latifah and Jimmy Fallon.

He's also attached to direct the Chris Rock vehicle Sick Day for Imagine Entertainment and Universal Pictures.

We were also advised that filming begins in August. Location scouting is underway. Look for casting to begin soon.

Story's hiring may be another indication that Fox and Marvel are intent on making Fantastic Four a comedy. Previous directors attached to the project were Raja Gosnell (Scooby Doo) and Peyton Reed (Down with Love). Actor-filmmaker Sean Astin has also pursued the directing gig.

[MacGuffin]

From Howard the Duck to Fantastic Four?
The latest casting buzz on the Marvel movie.

Latino Review claims that two award-winning thesps are in talks to join the Fantastic Four's big-screen debut, which has been revealed Tim Story will direct.

Oscar-winner Tim Robbins is said to be up for the role of the villainous Dr. Doom. This wouldn't be Robbins' first time appearing in a Marvel Comics movie: he also co-starred in Howard the Duck.

Emmy-winner Michael Chiklis (FX's The Shield) is reportedly the frontrunner to play Ben Grimm, a.k.a. The Thing.

[MacGuffin]

Is Paul Walker Flaming?
From 2F2F to FF?

Latino Review continues unabated in their Fantastic Four casting scoops. Today they report, via the same source that tipped them off about Michael Chiklis being up for the role of Ben Grimm and Tim Robbins for Dr. Doom, that The Fast and the Furious' Paul Walker is in the running to play Johnny Storm, a.k.a. The Human Torch.

Walker is an oft-suggested fan pick for the role of Marvel's favorite blond hothead. His credits include 2F2F, The Skulls, Varsity Blues and Timeline.

Latino Review's scoop comes on the heels of Coming Attractions at Cinescape's claim that Christina Milian (Torque) is a contender to portray Johnny's sister Susan Storm, a.k.a. The Invisible Woman.

Superhero Hype also heard that Euro thesp Ralf Moeller (Gladiator, TV's Conan) was up for an unspecified part in the flick.

Fantastic Four begins filming this summer under the direction of Tim Story from a screenplay by Mark Frost.

[Find Your Magali]

I'm still bummed that Peyton Reed is no longer attached to this.  

[cine]

Is Paul Walker Flaming?

[MacGuffin]

EXCLUSIVE: Who Might Be Mr. Fantastic?

IGN FilmForce has learned who is in the running to star in Fantastic Four as Reed Richards, a.k.a. Mr. Fantastic: Brendan Fraser. Sources close to the studio confirmed that the 35-year-old thesp is a contender for the lead role but emphasized that no official casting has taken place.

According to the industry trades, Fraser, an oft-mentioned contender for Superman, has no other film projects lined up for this summer. That makes him available for Fantastic Four, which begins filming this August in Vancouver. Tim Story will direct from a script by Mark Frost.

Whether or not Fraser is cast as Mr. Fantastic remains to be seen but The Mummy star is definitely a major contender.

[Just Withnail]

EXCLUSIVE: Who Might Be Mr. Fantastic?

IGN FilmForce has learned who is in the running to star in Fantastic Four as Reed Richards, a.k.a. Mr. Fantastic: Brendan Fraser

I'm not too fond of Fraser.

Funny to read this page, more Mac-news and rumors than discussion.

[modage]

20th Century Fox Has 3 of the 4 Fantastic Four
Source: Variety Thursday, July 8, 2004

20th Century Fox has cast Michael Chiklis (TV's The Shield) to play Ben Grimm/The Thing, Ioan Gruffudd (King Arthur) as Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic and Chris Evans (Not Another Teen Movie) as Johnny Storm/the Human Torch in its Fantastic Four adaptation.

Variety also says that Jessica Alba, currently shooting Dimension's Sin City, has emerged as most likely to play Sue Richards/the Invisible Woman, though Rachel MacAdams and Keri Russell are also candidates.

"We see 'Fantastic Four' as the last great jewel in the comicbook crown," said Fox production president Hutch Parker. "The casting has been extremely important in terms of fulfilling expectations of an audience that's been incredibly loyal to these characters for over 40 years."

The $85 million-$90 million adaptation of the Marvel comic is headed for an August or September start in Vancouver. The planned release date is July 1, 2005, when it will face off against Paramount's Mission: Impossible 3. Tim Story is directing from a script by Simon Kinberg.

[RegularKarate]

Whole bunch of shitty shit

From the Director of Barbershop and Taxi comes a movie soooooo bad, you'll wish you were watching Barbershop or Taxi.

[El Duderino]

at least they didnt cast Fraser

[RegularKarate]

At least Fraser's proven himself to be a good actor a couple of times.  

I never thought that Fraser not being in this would be a bad thing.

[El Duderino]

he was good in The Quiet American and Gods and Monsters, but i'd say that's it.