Screenwriter Jeremy Slater was so convinced that ‘Fantastic Four’ (2015) could redefine superhero filmmaking that when he first boarded the movie, he was very optimistic. For him, the ambitious reboot could be something on the level of ‘The Dark Knight’ trilogy, grounded, mature, and prestige-driven.
The Wild Confidence Behind 2015’s ‘Fantastic Four’ Makes Its Failure Feel Even Sadder
In an interview with THR, Slater said he used to believe that “we’re the next Christopher Nolan.”When you’re a writer, and you’re playing in other people’s sandboxes, it’s really out of your control.”
Retrospectively, that seems like a very optimistic statement. Superhero movies were in a state of flux at the time, and studios all over were looking to make more mature and complex versions of comic book heroes. It must have been huge for a young writer entering the Marvel world for the first time.
Related: Tom Hardy Thought He’d Crush The Dark Knight Until Christian Bale’s Chilling “I Am Batman” Moment
However, Hollywood does not always go according to script. Slater talked about the power that writers sometimes lose once production starts, particularly in large-scale “franchise” movies that are overseen by studios, producers, and directors with different ideas.
“You don’t really have any bearing on the quality of the finished product. You just hope that your collaborators all want to make the same movie you wanted to make“. That disconnect was glaringly evident at the movie theater when ‘Fantastic Four’ was released.
The movie received brutal reviews, behind-the-scenes drama, and dismal box-office receipts almost from the moment it hit the theaters. Rather than embarking on a new franchise, it was one of the most notorious superhero flops of the 2010s.
The Hard Truths Of Franchise Filmmaking
It’s the honesty of Slater’s comments about the collaborative chaos that makes it resonate. When a superhero movie doesn’t do well, fans tend to point fingers at one thing. However, in reality, it’s a lot messier.
You might like to read: Tom Hardy Was Body-Shamed Over Bane In ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ And It Left Him In Tears
Scripts are rewritten, tones change during production, reshoots occur, and creative priorities change quickly. In another universe, perhaps this version of Fantastic Four could have been a darker, character-driven sci-fi epic.
Rather, it was a warning about the dangers of losing the original creative vision during the process. A decade later, the movie raises more questions than answers, not for what it was, but what it could have been.
In case you missed it: How The Iconic Final Shot Of ‘The Dark Knight’ Happened By Accident
