If the core source material is not scorching-hot with comic book fans, why would a studio gamble on that exact same concept selling as a major blockbuster film? It might seem strange and/or offensive to say this, but a story about an all-white family of superheroes just may not have enough wide appeal to make it in the modern global film market. That's to say: the readership is not all that strong. That's a nice fallacy, but Marvel Studios is probably the one place where they know better than anyone how problematic it is to sell a modern Fantastic Four - and no doubt Fox has had similar concerns about the overall viability of the property.Īccording to Diamond Comics, in January 2014 Fantastic Four was number 76 out of the top 100 comics sold for the month - which is more or less the tier it seems to be stuck on, these days. People like to fantasize that if Marvel Studios held the rights to ALL of its characters (like F4) then all would be well. Superman movie Michael Douglas playing an elderly Hank Pym in Marvel's Ant-Man or Channing Tatum possibly playing Gambit in the X-Men movieverse.

Even without race-switching controversy, comic book fans have been almost as perplexed about actors like Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot and Jesse Eisenberg being cast as characters like Batman, Wonder Woman and Lex Luthor in DC's Batman vs. Jordan will play a black version of The Human Torch in the new Fantastic Four movie and Jamie Foxx a black version of Electro in Amazing Spider-Man 2. 'Race-switch casting' has continued to court controversy, as actor Michael B.

When you lay it out like that, superhero movie casting is a really big deal for all parties involved (fans and studio) - and lately, frankly, we've been tossed quite a few curveballs. Casting these films is therefore a big deal a studio has to both please a core fanbase that is very finicky about the depiction of the characters, and pick someone who can carry a mega-budget film on a global stage, drawing in big crowds all along the way. Superhero movies are the big champions of the cineplex these days - the most steadily reliable big-buck earners Hollywood studios can put out.

Superhero movie 2008 cast