The Fantastic Four (2015)

The Fantastic Four (2015 film)
THE FANTASTIC FOUR is an upcoming superhero film based on the fictional Marvel Comics team created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, with storylines taken from the 2004 Ultimate Fantastic Four series by Mark Millar, Brian Michael Bendis and visual callbacks to Adam Kubert's artwork. Writer/director Josh Trank helms this sci-fi action/adventure with an ensemble cast including Star Trek's Anton Yelchin as military scientist Dr. Reed Richards, with veteran screen actor Viggo Mortensen as Dr. Franklin Storm described as a father figure to the group. Jamie Bell has doubled-down as Fox's Performance Capture Consultant for new CGI characters, he also lends his voice and capture to the films main villain. Tim Blake Nelson was confirmed to portray eccentric conspiracy theorist Prof. Harvey Rupert Elder and American Hustle's Jack Huston signed a 3-picture deal to portray Latverian robotics expert Dr. Viktor von Doom in a character-arch that spans across multiple films. The Fantastic Four is scheduled for release on August 7th, 2015 in North America, in 2D and 3D theaters.

Premise
Fantastic Four in the Negative Zone' follows two airmen, brilliant military scientist Dr. Richards and ace test pilot Ben Grimm, recruited by Central City's aerospace division to clear some debris out of N-Zone trade routes. As the astronaut equivelant of two garbage men, Ben and Reed make a discovery that threatens the entire Air Force operation; a large colony of alien insects are burrowing hive structures into humankind's asteroid-size trash piles left floating in subspace. Before seeing the job through to its end, Reed is asked to join 'Future Foundation' a Manhattan-based think tank where he reunites with his old mentor Frank Storm, fraternizes with Sue and Jon Storm who've grown up since they last met, and forms a rivalry with Storm's new apprentice Viktor von Doom. Their conflict is put aside when Viktor discloses to Reed that an explorer named Harvey Elder is keeping an interdimensional warlord called 'Annihilus' in a cave on Monster Island.

Cast
Additionally, Riley Griffiths and CJ Adams will play young Ben Grimm and Reed Richards respectively. Michael B. Jordan and Alex Russll are cast in unspecified roles. J osh Trank , who directs the film, and Stan Lee have cameos.
 * Anton Yelchin as Mister Fantastic/Reed Richards: When Yelchin was asked about being cast and about his role, he said, "When I read the script, I was reading this larger-than-life, incredible superhero tale. These are all very human people that end up having to become what is known as the Fantastic Four. For me it  gives me an opportunity to play something different from my own skin."
 * Taylor Momsen as Susan Storm/Invisble Woman: About the role, she said, "To be approached and asked to be part of such an ambitious and huge project is flattering. And when you see the movie you'll realize how huge the movie is. It's huge in scope and in a lot of ways unprecedented.  It's really unlike any other superhero movie you've seen"
 * Callan McAuliffe as Johnny Storm/Human Torch: Callan was asked about his role and he said, "We're more or less a bunch of young adults that had an accident and we have disabilities now that we have to cope with, and try to find a life afterwards – try to be as normal as we can. But the question arises can we? Should we? I'ts really about coming to terms with reality and using these new found powers for a bigger, unimaginable cause"
 * Forest Griffin as Ben Grimm/The Thing: About taking the role, Griffin said, "At first I turned the role down. The movie as a whole is just much bigger than me. And I'm a big guy. But Trank wouldn't let me rest. He wanted me and part of me thinks he would've shut down the movie if I really passed. And in a way that's hugely honoring and another terribly scary. But stepping into this world and becoming Ben Grimm was something I'm glad I did. It's unbelievably awesome what we're doing."
 * Jack Huston as Viktor Von Doom/Dr Doom: Huston has many times refused to say a lot about the film but has said in one interview, "The movie is huge. What we're doing is crazy and I'm more than happy to be apart of it." He later added he had to create an accent for his character. Trank has said in a Q&A that Huston "Scared the crap out of me"
 * Viggo Mortenson as Dr. Franklin Storm: Mortenson plays the an integral part of the Fantastic Four. About joining the film, he said, "I've never pictured myself in such a movie like this. The script is terrifc, really really good, and I'm honored to be apart of the movie."
 * Tim Blake Nelson as Harvey Elder: About the movie, he said, "Without going into detail, the script has as much soul as it does action. And it has a lot of action." He continued, I absolutely loved working on 'Hulk' and feel extremely blessed that Marvel, Fox, and especially Josh Trank and his team have invited me back into the universe. The script is excellent. It has real heart, and it shows a true understanding of what it is to be a burgeoning adult geeked out to the margins."
 * Jamie Bell as Annihilus: Jamie Bell is said to act as FOX's motion-capture consoltant and will provide capture and voice; though this has yet to be confirmed by the studio.
 * Anna Popwell as Dr. Alyssa Moy: Alyssa Moy in this movie is an English Scientist and works under Proffesor Harvey Elder.
 * Michelle Pfeiffer as Evelyn Richards: About the role, she said, "It's unbelievable being back into this world and I'm happy I am". 
 * Michael Biehn as Gary Richards: Biehn revealed his character is a retired NASA astronaut.
 * Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Alicia Masters: Raw revealed that she is the Fiance of Ben Grimm and is a blind sculptress.
 * Genevieve Knight Hannelius as Enid Richards: She will play Reed Richards younger sister.

Development
 "This   Fantastic Four  movie is sort of a celebration of all the  Fantastic Four  comics that have preceded it. We have elements from the original  Fantastic Four  that there's a sort of optimism and inspirational quality to the film. In some ways a comedy that was really distinct in the original  Fantastic Four . Also, the notion of this dysfunctional surrogate family that comes together and has to work together is very present in the movie that owes a great debt to the originals and this idea that they are scientist and that it's almost like this science adventure, more than being superheroes... We also owe a lot to the  Ultimate' s and the current crop of  Fantastic Four  comics."

—Simon Kinberg on adapting the Fantastic Four comic books into film.  In August 2009, 20th Century Fox opted to reboot the superhero franchise Fantastic Four. Only days later, Akiva Goldsman  and Michael Green  were hired to write and produce the film respectively. Fox met with directors Gore Verbinski, J.J. Abrams, Brad Bird, and Ruben Fleischer. Though, nothing was ever set in stone. In 2011, the film  entered development hell, and reportedly Fox were thinking of reverting the right backs to Marvel. In 2012, Fox hired Seth Graham-Smith to write a new screenplay. He described th project as "[being] the Fantastic Four movie fans deserve." In March of that year, after the finacial and critical success of Chronicle, Fox hired Josh Trank to direct the movie. Mark Millar, Fox movie consultant, said in aninterview, "Trank is a young wonderful director. He understands the concept deep to the core. We're going back to the Kirby and Lee moments of glorious madness. We really want capture the scope and jaw-dropping Ridley Scott moments, and with Trank as director, we can." A release date was than set for March 6th, 2015. In January 2013, Fox hired Zak Penn to rewrite the script. Josh Trank described the film as "[A] grounded, some-what reimagining of the Fantastic Four. The essentials, the charm, the adventure is still there. [But] were putting these characters in a what-if real world situation." Due to the lack of updates in the following months, many belived the project to once again fall into developmen hell. In June 2013, rumors circulated that Fox dumped the script and the crew and have once again thought about selling the rights. This was later debunked by Josh Trank in an interview saying, "We're hard at work right now. We're taking our time to make the best film we possibly can, but also moving as fast as we can to not make this our every day life priority." In August 2013, Fox hired Simon Kinberg to rewrite the script. Casting than offcially began in January 2013. In February, 2014, Kinberg described the movie as "Huge" and continued,'' "The movie is a dramatic representation of the Fantastic Four. Yet, throughout all that, we can't lose the balance of spectacle and drama, and reading the script and watching actors screen test, it became clear to us we didn't." '' In March 2014, Matthew Vaughn  was attached as a producer and Josh Trank and Kinberg polished the script. Kinberg later announced he will co-produce the film. Mark Millar in April 2014 said ''"Fantastic Four will without a doubt go down as one of the best superhero movies ever made! Is that a bold statement? Yes. Is it true? Opinionated. But, when I look online and I see people speculation or comments on this film, I don't see anything that's close to what we're doing. Which makes me feel good. The surprise factor will be through the roof. [And] maybe because the movie really is an original, yet traditional, tale of the Fantasic Four in a grounded, realistic, spectacular way, something you wouldn't exactly expect from a Fantastic Four film." He  added that Trank had a vision for the film to also be more more character driven, more emotional, and a little more dramatic compared to the previously released  Fantastic Four '' films. He later said  it would take place in the same universe  as the X-Men Film Series. However, Trank denied his statement.



Casting
In November 2013, Kinberg and Trank had finished rewriting the script and casting for the roles of Reed Richards and Sue Storm began. Miles Teller, Kit Harrington, Richard Madden and Jack O' Connel were tested for the role of Reed Richards, while Kate Mara,Saoirse, Margot Robbie and Emmy Rossum were tested for Susan Storm. In January 2014, Callan McAuliffe landed the role of 'kid brother' mechanic & space engineer Jonathan Storm, and musician Taylor Momsen as the telekinetic Susan Storm. In February, MMA Champion and comedic sports personality Forrest Griffin was cast as rugged Air Force test-pilot Ben Grimm via vocal performance and motion capture prosthetics; with Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Grimm's fiance, Alicia Masters. The following weeks, Anton Yelchin was cast as Military Scientist Reed Richards. In the following weeks, The Walking Dead's Abraham Ford actor Michael Cudlitz was cast to play Lt. Wilford "Willie" Lumpkin, the Baxter Building's mailman and prodigy recruitment agent. Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn's Anna Popplewell will play Reed's former love interest Dr. Alyssa Moy an English scientist and explorer working under Professor Elder. Michael Biehn was cast in March to take on wich he described a brief but high-impact role as Reed's father, retired NASA astronaut Gary Richards, and producer Matthew Vaughn sought out Michelle Pfeiffer for Reed's mother Evelyn Richards. In April, Jack Huston was cast as Viktor Von Doom over others such as Toby Kebbel, James Fanco, Jake Gyllenhaal. A week before filming started, Jamie Bell was cast as the films villain, Annihilus. The all-star cast has doubled-over in size compared to the 2005 film which only had six main actors. On August 30th, months into production, Genevieve Knight Hannelius was cast as Enid Richards. '''On September 19th, the release date was pushed back three weeks.

Filming
Principle Photography commenced on May 5, 2014 at Celtic Media Centre in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. On June 4th, filming took place at the Great Basin Desert for two weeks where a massive set was built, which included a shuttle  and military bases. Production then relocated to Chicago which doubled for New York City. On June 24th, production  moved to  Kualoa Ranch. Rumors circulated that it will double as an island. Leak set pictures confirmed that a huge action seqeunce took place there. On  August 7th, p roduction then returned to Baton Rouge, where the rest of filming will finish. On August 31st, Baton Rouge was doubled for Central City, California. Home of Reed Richards. On August 25th, a set pic leaked revealing a stand in for The Thing and On September 1st, leaked set pictures revealed Jack Huston's'' Dr. Doom. ''

Post Production
The film was shot in IMAX and will be converted to 3D. Trank revealed that months before filming started or even casting was finished, VFX and CGI was being worked on.

Visual Effects
Weta Digital will primarily work on the visual effects.

Marketing
A teaser poster was released at San Diego Comic Con 14.