It’s now 100% official – Disney has swallowed up 21st Century Fox, meaning the X-Men and Fantastic Four are within grasp of Marvel Studios. After Spider-Man came home not too long ago, these properties were virtually the only ones outside of the company’s reach. Now, the Marvel comics universe is extremely close to being whole on screen, and we couldn’t be more excited.
After all, when it comes to the Four, at least, Fox has never been able to figure things out. The 2005 movie and its sequel aimed to replicate the bright, all-ages tone of the comics and ended up skirting Batman & Robin levels of camp and cheese. Then, the 2015 reboot ended up being even worse by trying to “Nolanize” the characters but failing miserably. What Fox should have done is pitch the Four the same way that Marvel does all their properties: fun, accessible to everyone but grounded in character.
Though it might be a bit tiresome to have new versions of Reed Richards, Sue Storm and the rest so soon after the last time, it’s really the only way to do the Fantastic Four justice at this point. Of course, that leaves one big question: who will bring the characters to life for their MCU debut? That’s something which has caused heated debate amongst fans as of late, but one individual has now put forth some pretty awesome art that imagines John Krasinski as Reed Richards, Emily Blunt as Sue Storm and Ansel Elgort as Johnny Storm.
So, could this actually happen? Well, let’s discuss. Krasinski’s name has popped up on the Marvel wishlist before, of course; eight years ago, he became one of the finalists for Captain America: The First Avenger, and ultimately lost out to Chris Evans who, incidentally, also has a history with Fantastic Four, having brought Johnny Storm/The Human Torch to life on two separate occasions.
Blunt, meanwhile, has always been a popular choice in fan castings, with recent roles in films like Edge of Tomorrow showing that she’s definitely got what it takes to play a superhero. And then there’s Ansel Elgort, who might not have the most diverse or lengthy resume, but impressed last year in Baby Driver. Would he make a good Human Torch, though? It’s hard to say, but we imagine he may be a tough sell for fans.
While it’s certainly fun to speculate about this kind of stuff, it’s important to note that it’ll likely be another three or four years before we see the full effects of Disney’s buyout, and we’re under no illusion that the Fantastic Four will be entering the MCU anytime soon. Still, they are on their way to the beloved cinematic franchise and just knowing that is more than enough to get us excited.