Summary

• The MCU's Fantastic Four movie must avoid repeating the mistake of the 2015 reboot.
• The origin story of the Fantastic Four should be different from the 2015 film's Negative Zone version, as it would be too similar and potentially disappointing for audiences.
• The MCU's Fantastic Four needs to have a clear and definitive vision, avoiding the creative clashes that plagued the making of the 2015 film, to ensure a cohesive and successful adaptation.

Eight years after Fantastic Four (2015), there is a lot the MCU’s Fantastic Four movie can learn from the failed reboot. After Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007) grossed less than Fantastic Four (2005), the future of the Fantastic Four IP was a mystery. While a Fantastic Four 3 never happened, FOX eventually began to develop a Fantastic Four reboot with a new creative team and a new cast. After a troubled production, which included reshoots and creative differences, Fantastic Four (2015) premiered to harsh reviews and bombed at the box office.

As the first live-action Fantastic Four property since the 2015 reboot, the MCU’s Fantastic Four movie will have to avoid its predecessor’s mistakes. Fantastic Four (2015) had problems both as a movie and as an adaptation, which played against a promising Fantastic Four cast that included names like Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Michael B. Jordan, and Jamie Bell. From Doctor Doom to the fighting scenes, here are 10 lessons Marvel’s Fantastic Four (2025) can learn from Fantastic Four (2015).

10 The MCU’s Fantastic Four Can’t Afford To Fail Doctor Doom Again

Doctor Doom has appeared in all of the Fantastic Four movies, including the unreleased Fantastic Four from 1994. None of those cinematic versions of Doctor Doom did the character justice, a problem that Fantastic Four (2015) repeated. Toby Kebbell played what could have been an interesting version of Victor von Doom, yet the final result was a disappointing take on the character that barely resembled Marvel Comics’ Doctor Doom. With barely any context on Victor von Doom’s backstory and no really personal history between him and Reed, Fantastic Four (2015)'s Doctor Doom did not work. Marvel’s Fantastic Four movie needs to nail Doctor Doom and can’t afford another failure.

9 The MCU’s Fantastic Four Origin Can’t Be The Negative Zone One

Marvel’s Fantastic Four is expected to skip the heroes’ origin story, which does not mean that the film will not address how the Fantastic Four got their powers. Considering that the Fantastic Four’s classic origin has been adapted into several media, including the 2005 Fantastic Four movie and multiple animated series, it would make sense for Marvel to change it. However, what could be a perfect, more modern Fantastic Four origin should not really be used, because of Fantastic Four (2015). Marvel's Ultimate Fantastic Four got their powers from the Negative Zone, yet doing this in the MCU would make it too similar to the 2015 film.

8 The MCU’s Fantastic Four Movie Needs To Stick To Its Vision

According to Fantastic Four (2015) writer Jeremy Slater, the movie he was trying to write was different from what director Josh Trank wanted. This only confirms how turbulent the making of 2015’s Fantastic Four was, as the studio and the creative did not seem to be on the same page regarding what the movie was supposed to be. Marvel’s Fantastic Four needs to have a definitive vision for what the movie must be and the role those heroes will play in the MCU. Not only that, but the MCU’s Fantastic Four needs to stick to its vision and avoid creative clashes.

7 The MCU’s Fantastic Four Can’t Save The Fantastic Four For The End

Fantastic Four (2015) was an origin story for most of the movie. There is basically no Fantastic Four until the very end of the film when the four characters finally come together to stop Doom and prevent Earth from collapsing. Fantastic Four (2015)’s infamous ending, during which Reed was about to suggest the Fantastic Four name before it cuts to credits, only highlighted this problem. While the characters and their relationships need to be properly introduced, the MCU’s Fantastic Four film must deliver the superhero team as soon as possible. The Fantastic Four needs a definitive adaptation, which means the reboot cannot save too much for a sequel.

6 The MCU’S Fantastic Four Movie Doesn’t Need A Word-Ending Event

Fantastic Four (2015) spent most of the film exploring the mysterious dimension Reed Richards found and the dangers it might include, only for the film to end on a generic third-act battle set on Earth. The MCU has a third-act problem, with several movies and TV shows concluding with an uninspired battle, even when they are not necessary. This was the problem, for example, with WandaVision and Secret Invasion. The Fantastic Four should be very powerful and skillful characters, but the Fantastic Four movie does not need a world-ending event as its third act. Something that focuses on the Fantastic Four’s intelligence might work much better.

5 The Fantastic Four Should Have Their Signature Costumes From The Start

One big problem with doing origin stories is that the signature superhero costumes only come to play much later. This was even worse in Fantastic Four (2015), which did not feature Fantastic Four costumes at all. The only thing Reed, Sue, Johnny, and Ben used was generic military gear that did not speak “Fantastic Four.” The Fantastic Four has some of the most iconic superhero suits in all of Marvel’s history, most of which are variations of the classic blue costumes from Fantastic Four #1. The MCU’s Phase 4 featured some very comic-accurate Marvel costumes, and it should be no different for Phase 6’s Fantastic Four.

4 The MCU’s Fantastic Four Must Go To Space

Even if the MCU’s Fantastic Four skips or changes the characters’ origin story, the Fantastic Four must go to space. The cosmic scale of the Fantastic Four’s adventures has yet to be portrayed in live-action, and the 2015 Fantastic Four movie failed to do it. Some of the Fantastic Four’s best stories happen on Earth, but many great Fantastic Four adventures take place in space or other dimensions. All three theatrical Fantastic Four films have taken place mostly on Earth, including the 2015 one, which is something the MCU reboot should avoid. A cosmic adventure would set Marvel’s Fantastic Four apart from the previous reboot.

3 The MCU’s Fantastic Four Movie Needs To Feel Big

Regardless if it is a cosmic adventure, the MCU’s Fantastic Four movie needs to feel big. The first Fantastic Four film in almost a decade must be an event, especially because it will be the first MCU Fantastic Four movie. Fantastic Four (2015), despite its alternate dimensions story, feel like a self-contained adventure that happened mostly inside labs and governmental buildings. The Fantastic Four only really interacts with the world around them at the end of the movie, which made the film feel small. The Fantastic Four should be the foundation of the MCU’s future, and their debut should feel like an event film regardless of the villains involved.

2 The Fantastic Four Should All Be Adults & Not College Students

Fantastic Four (2015) was heavily inspired by Marvel’s Ultimate Fantastic Four, which followed younger versions of the characters. The 2015 reboot sees Reed and Ben as kids, fast-forwards to their high school years, and then establishes that Reed continued to work for the government in the following years. While having a younger Fantastic Four can work, the MCU’s take on Marvel’s first family should follow a more established version of the heroes. In a universe where the Avengers and countless other heroes already exist, the Fantastic Four should not be college students or recently graduated scientists. Going by the latest MCU Fantastic Four cast rumors, they will be indeed adults.

1 The Fantastic Four Should Fight As A Team

The Fantastic Four barely fought as a team in Fantastic Four (2015). After spending most of the film without their powers or separated, the Fantastic Four only come together during the third and do not even use their powers in a synchronized way. Unlike the Avengers or even the X-Men, which see individual heroes operating as a team, the Fantastic Four should be a team before they even become superheroes. As such, the MCU’s Fantastic Four movie must avoid the 2015 reboot’s mistake and show the Fantastic Four fighting together as one group.