Gazing deeply into the recesses of your subconscious you glimpse a fleeting memory. You use all of your mental energy to draw it into focus. Slowly, hazily, it takes the shape of … a casting notice: “Miles Teller and Michael B. Jordan to Star in Fantastic Four Reboot.” And though the idea had faded, perhaps obscured by thoughts of Suicide Squads and Untitled DC Film (2019), here evidence appears to prove it was not some deluded fantasy, but a good and true reflection of tangible reality. A teaser trailer for Fox’s upcoming Fantastic Four reboot, set to open in June:
Jesting about superhero franchise crowding aside, this version of Fantastic Four looks promising. The cast is exciting, with Miles Teller and Michael B. Jordan stepping up into the blockbuster lead roles they seemed destined for after building indie steam in films like Whiplash and Fruitvale Station, respectively. Teller will play Mr. Fantastic, with Jordan as the Human Torch, Kate Mara as the Invisible Woman, and Jaime Bell as the Thing. Director Josh Trank has proved a capable director of interesting superhero films with his widely praised 2012 found-footage superpowers film Chronicle. And most importantly: Fantastic Four is one of Marvel Comics longest running and most beloved properties, and the team’s origin story has tremendous potential for familial drama, screwball humor, and sick action sequences. It will also be interesting to watch Fox’s continued attempts to compete against Marvel with their own properties. Though we mostly see and hear vague, Neil deGrasse Tyson-like paeans to the virtues of scientific inquiry in this teaser, it’s still a welcome reminder of what’s to come.