662 😱 Fantastic Four ... on Big Screen?
20th Century Fox has almost found its fantastic foursome to bring Marvel Comics' original superhero family, the Fantastic Four, to life on the big screen, according to a recent report by Variety. The studio has signed King Arthur's Lancelot Iaon Gruffudd as Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic, The Shield star Michael Chiklis to play Ben Grimm/the Thing, and Cellular's Chris Evans as Johnny Storm/the Human Torch. For the role of Sue Richards/the Invisible Woman, Sin City actress Jessica Alba has emerged as the most likely candidate, though Rachel MacAdams and Keri Russell are also in the running.
"We see Fantastic Four as the last great jewel in the comicbook crown," said Fox production prexy Hutch Parker. "The casting has been extremely important in terms of fulfilling expectations of an audience that's been incredibly loyal to these characters for over 40 years."
Based on the 1962 Marvel Comics book by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the Fantastic Four centers on four astronauts - scientist Reed Richards, his wife Sue, her brother Johnny and their friend Ben Grimm - who develop superhuman powers after their experimental spaceship is exposed to cosmic rays. They band together to fight against the evil Doctor Doom.
The $85 million-$90 million pic is headed for an August or September start in Vancouver. Planned release date is July 1, 2005, when it will face off against Paramount's Mission: Impossible 3. That will mark the second Fourth of July weekend bow in a row for a Marvel-based superhero pic following Spider-Man 2.
The Fantastic Four is being helmed by Barbershop director Tim Story from a script written by Simon Kinberg. Producers are Marvel, 1492, Constantin and X-Men producer Ralph Winter. Production on Fantastic Four is being overseen by Parker and Senior VP of Production Alex Young.