Fox has ‘X-Men: Days of Future Past’ due to hit theaters on May 23, 2014, and will be relaunching the ‘Fantastic Four’ franchise the following year, on March 6, 2015. But with both super teams at the same studio, will there be any crossing over? In an interview with SFX, writer and Fox studio’s Marvel creative consultant Mark Millar was asked about a possible crossover between the two franchises:
“Without question I think you have to see some of these guys showing up in each other’s movies. I think the most exciting thing in superhero movies, until The Avengers came along, was when Nick Fury showed up in Iron Man. Even though it was a guy with an eye patch it was really cool – and I expect we will see more of that.”
But before anyone could get too excited about the possibilities, he later clarified on Twitter, “I keep seeing ‘news’ that X-Men & FF movies are crossing over. No, they’re not. They exist in same universe but movies stand alone.”
So don’t expect to see The Illuminati on the big screen any time soon. But it sounds like the door is open for some fun Easter Eggs. Will Reed Richards reference the work of Bolivar Trask? Or could we possibly see a Human Torch/Ice Man team up?
It sounds as if both franchises will stand on their own, even though they will be occupying the same world. While ‘X-Men’ is back in the hands of Bryan Singer, who directed the first two movies in the series, ‘Fantastic Four’ will be directed by Josh Trank (‘Chronicle‘). Regarding the director’s approach, Millar seems enthusiastic.
“These first two movies were not very good but I’m quite sentimental towards them. I took my youngest daughter to see the first one, she was only five when it came out, and she thought it was the best film ever made. At the end, when Johnny Storm says, ‘Flame on!’ for the first time, she thanked me for taking her to see it. So even though it was a crap movie that memory makes me sort-of like it in a strange way. For the new one all they have to do is make it great. It sounds obvious and it is. Sam Raimi gave us a great Spider-Man. Christopher Nolan gave us a great Batman. So a brilliant director is probably the most important thing for a great Fantastic Four. Tim Story was seen as an odd choice for Fantastic Four but when you have a Josh Trank you know you are in safe hands.”
Are you excited about a new approach to the ‘Fantastic Four’? Would you like to see Charles Xavier and Reed Richards share the big screen? Comment below!