Marvel Studios' long-awaited Fantastic Four project, which will introduce the popular characters into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, has found its writers in the duo of Ian Springer and Jeff Kaplan. This news comes in the wake of Kevin Feige's confirmation of Matt Shakman as the project's director at the recent D23 event.
The Fantastic Four have been the premiere family of the Marvel Comics universe since their debut in 1961. The titular group consists of Reed Richards, his friend Ben Grimm, love interest to Richards and eventual spouse Susan Storm, and her younger brother Johnny, all of whom gained incredible superhuman powers after a scientific voyage into space took a turn for the worst. The team has always been popular and has spawned several adaptations, including 4 live-action films. Of the four, only 3 were released to less than stellar reviews by 20th Century Fox, which held the rights to the live-action adaptation of the IP until the company’s assets were acquired by Disney, finally rejoining the majority of Marvel's cast of characters.
Fans have eagerly awaited the inevitable induction of Marvel's First Family into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. According to a report from Deadline, the long-anticipated project seems to have pegged the writing duo of Springer and Kaplan to take charge of preparing a script for the film, which will lead the charge in the MCU's Phase 6. The two have worked extensively together as co-writers on projects such as 2013’s Bert and Arnie's Guide to Friendship, The Last of the Great Romantics film the following year, and the upcoming comedy Disaster Wedding. The two are expected to re-introduce the team to the cinematic audience while avoiding the pitfalls that plagued the last Fantastic Four reboot.
The report also clarified that the two writers had been on board all along and have been working hand in hand with Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige to map out the future movie’s place in the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe, as it will be the first project of the MCU's Phase 6. The duo will then put minds together with WandaVision director Matt Shakman, who was in initial talks to take on the project in August before the official announcement was made in September. Feige will be taking on the producer role.
Anticipation for the project has long since reached a fever pitch, with the short appearance of John Krasinski as Reed Richards in the Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness film doubling the excitement. Speculations around the debut movie’s casting have also been heating up recently, with rumors about Jason Segel being cast in the role of Ben Grimm and possibly making a cameo in the She-Hulk: Attorney at Law series on Disney Plus being prominent, among many others.
While little is known about the new project's overall direction, fans know for certain that it won’t be another origin story, as Feige explicitly stated earlier in the year. While the move was a well-reasoned one by Feige, this was still not welcome news to some fans who enjoyed the foundational building style employed for characters in earlier projects from the Marvel Cinematic Universe rollout, such as Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America: The First Avenger. How the format change will affect the film's success and that of the subsequent Phase 6 rollout that hinges on it remains to be seen, but many would say that Marvel Studios' record speaks for itself.
Fantastic Four is scheduled to be released in theaters on November 8, 2024.
Source: Deadline