The Fantastic Four Reboot is Doomed

[Mike Hoffman]

The Fantastic Four Reboot is Doomed

Images of the Fantastic Four's most famous villain, Doctor Doom, have hit the web.

Fox [a href="http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/moviesandtv/columns/moviebob/12145-Fox-s-Upcoming-The-Fantastic-Four-Isn-t-Getting-Any-Hype"]might not be promoting[/a] the [a href="http://www.escapistmagazine.com/tag/view/fantastic%20four"]Fantastic Four[/a] reboot yet, but that hasn't stopped some images of Doctor Doom from leaking. Take a look at the superhero family's most famous foe, who will make an appearance in the reboot due June 19, 2015.

The reboot, which [a href="http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/136601-Fantastic-Four-Reboots-Kate-Mara-Shares-Pic-to-Mark-End-of-Filming"]finished filming[/a] early August, stars Kate Mara of House of Cards, Michael B Jordan of The Wire, Jamie Bell, and Miles Teller. Tony Kebbel (Dawn of the Planet of the Apes) opposes the heroic cast as Doctor Victor von Doom.

New images from [a href="http://www.geek-pride.co.uk/film-and-tv/leaked-photos-fantastic-four-reboot/"]Geek Pride[/a] (the site is down at the time of this writing) reveal Teller in costume as Doom on a green-screen stage. Even though the film is [a href="http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/136178-Fantastic-Four-Reboot-Movie-Wont-Be-Based-on-Any-Comics"]not based directly off any comics[/a], classic villains Doom and [a href="http://screenrant.com/fantastic-four-reboot-mole-man-actor-tim-blake-nelson/"]Mole Man[/a] have both been confirmed as antagonists, with Mole Man played by Tim Blake Nelson.

Doom's costume looks less like armor and more organic for the Josh Trank directed Fantastic Four reboot. The lines, texture, and uniform color gives the impression that the traditionally metal armor might be replaced with some sort of growth. Maybe it's something the Latverian gained due to cosmic radiation in an attempt by the film's scribes to unify the origin stories of the heroes and the villains? Wait, wasn't that the same origin in the past attempt at a Fantastic Four franchise?

We'll see how Doom and the rest of the reboot works out when the film releases next summer. Fox is already banking on the film being a success, with a sequel already scheduled for July 14, 2017.

Source: [a href="http://www.geek-pride.co.uk/film-and-tv/leaked-photos-fantastic-four-reboot/"]Geek Pride[/a]

Permalink

 

[Gearhead mk2]

...that looks HIDEOUS. Jesus, what is that made of, paper mache? I honestly do not believe that's actually what they're using. Calling it now, that picture's a hoax made by some prankster.

 

[Erttheking]

...that looks HIDEOUS. Jesus, what is that made of, paper mache? I honestly do not believe that's actually what they're using. Calling it now, that picture's a hoax made by some prankster.

One would hope. I mean COME ON! Doom's design is NOT complicated! Full metal body mask and suit with a green hood and cloak! BAM! Simple, elegant and cool

 

[PunkRex]

I'm not some Marvel fan boy looking to spit on anything non MCU but... damn, that's ugly and boring. It looks like some random goon from some budget Dungeons and Dragons t.v. series.

Marvel [a href="http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/moviesandtv/columns/moviebob/12145-Fox-s-Upcoming-The-Fantastic-Four-Isn-t-Getting-Any-Hype"]might not be promoting[/a] the [a href="http://www.escapistmagazine.com/tag/view/fantastic%20four"]Fantastic Four[/a] reboot yet, but that hasn't stopped some images of Doctor Doom from leaking.

Isn't it Fox's job to do that?

 

[RJ 17]

I'm not some Marvel fan boy looking to spit on anything non MCU but... damn, that's ugly and boring. It looks like some random goon from some budget Dungeons and Dragons t.v. series.

I was going to say it looks more like a boss-level Putty from the Power Rangers.

Remember these guys?

Apparently they've found their Grand General!

Seriously, when I clicked the link I had hoped the pun in the headline was an indication that the movie had been cancelled. Upon seeing what they intend to have Doom look like, I'm even more let down that that wasn't the case.

 

[oldtaku]

They'd better be intending to CG over that in post.

 

[Mike Hoffman]

Yeah, personally I agree with the comments so far. It looks absolutely dreadful. I mean, maybe it will look better in the film itself, but it is still ugly, boring, and not at all Doom's iconic look.

Isn't it Fox's job to do that?

Thank you. Fixed.

 

[Atary77]

They'd better be intending to CG over that in post.

This is my first thought to these photos. That they plan on adding some sort of CGI effects to his costume. But will the CGI be subtle? Or will it be as overblown as Ryan Reynolds as Green Lantern?

In any case, I really feel ambivalent towards this whole project. I don't feel like wasting energy getting angry over this with some misplaced fan boy rage. If I see this movie for any reason it's because various critics I follow give it a reasonable recommendation. Until then, I hold my judgement.

Although seriously if that's all the costume is they done fucked up.

 

[Doopliss64]

It kind of looks like Mysterio's charred corpse.

In fact, I would rather it be that than whatever the hell their weird-ass interpretation of Doom seems to be.

 

[Something Amyss]

They'd better be intending to CG over that in post.

I really hope that's the case. I mean, that was sort of my first thought, since a lot of these costumes look worse in initial leaks. Then again, I have no faith in Sony and Fox, so....

 

[Lilani]

Maybe it's supposed to be what's under the armor? Like, some version of him before he's got the armor?

 

[Sillarra]

If they are not using anything but the name, can Marvel just say that they are not really using the IP at all and take it back? I certainly hope so. Or maybe they are already planning to do this and are just waiting for the movie to come out so they can have a more definite claim.

 

[[Kira Must Die]]

He looks like he's wearing a trash bag.

Hell, he looks like the E.T. costume from that first E.T. Porno Cinema Snob reviewed.

 

[CrazyBlaze]

Could be that's when he first transforms. And if they are going for Ultimate Doom than I can see why they would want it to look organic considering that the Ultimate version's skin grew into metal. Still looks horrible.

 

[Therumancer]

They'd better be intending to CG over that in post.

That was my first thought, that they were going to computer generate the armor, as opposed to coming up with something crappy looking make out of cardboard or plastic or whatever. Depending on what he's doing in that scene, they might actually be finding it easier to just animate the armor with the background. Of course done badly this has a chance of coming across with a Green Lantern "man's live action head bouncing around in a cartoon" effect.

That said, I'm not going to be rushing right out to see this one, as it seems like it's going to be a disaster. While some who don't "get" me will probably again scream racism, I just can't get behind a Black human torch, not because such a thing is unheard of, but because to me "The Fantastic Four" has specific dynamics and that involves Johnny and Sue being brother and sister, while I suppose one of them could be adopted (or Mommy has some explaining to do...) it just doesn't fit with my idea of the "real" Fantastic Four despite some vintage stuff. Now I suppose they could get around this by making Sue black, but they apparently have one of their bigger names playing that role so they are keeping her a dishy blonde.... so really this entire thing smacks of another PC stunt in the name of diversity. As some people have pointed out this seems more likely to be a case where they are going to use an alternate version of this, and as a result we won't wind up with 3 of the people being related (2 by blood, 1 by marriage, and The Thing as Franklin's eventual godfather if I remember) and having the whole "family" dynamic as a big part of the core.

That, and despite my thoughts about how they might be able to make it look good, I have to agree that is a lame looking Doctor Doom, and he should be easy to do. They really should have talked to the guys who did the FX for Iron Man, because they cover a lot of the same territory (and indeed they have pitted their armor against each other a few times).

I am hoping for a catastrophic failure, followed by Marvel getting the rights back in order to do a good version of it. That and personally if I wanted to cast "Mole Man" nowadays I'd probably have seen if I could get Peter Dinklage, not just because he's short (but that helps obviously) but he can play both ruthless and oddly charismatic. Mole Man's whole thing is that while he hates surface dwellers, he's actually a good king to his people, and for all of his occasional raving does have some legitimate points. I believe he has been reasoned with in the past.

I haven't read anything, so I could be forgetting it, but I don't think Mole Man and Doom have worked together before, and honestly that seems like an odd pairing unless they are turning Mole Man into some kind of "Igor" type with a pathetic army of exploited minions for Doom. The two don't seem to have any agendas that coincide especially not in the long run, and Mole Man is quite the scientist and inventor himself (having created all kinds of weapons and devices to try and take over the surface with), neither of these guys would trust each other I'd think. Mole Man has his own agenda (for his people actually) and wouldn't do anything that was going to needlessly risk the Mole People and wouldn't likely trust Doom simply based on his agenda and desire to rule everything. Doom on the other hand would know that his far reaching plans would ultimately put him into conflict with the underground realms. Just my thoughts, Mole Man is hardly an A-list villain, but he's actually one that I remember being used fairly cleverly before, and like a lot of Marvel concepts as strange as they seem, actually has understandable motives. He's kind of like Namor, without the occasional heroic streak, and living underground as opposed to under the sea.

 

[gigastar]

So Doom is in a unitard. I dont even know what to make of the colour scheme. What the hell was so wrong with solid steel that you had to go and replace it with 50 shades of grey?

Maybe it's supposed to be what's under the armor? Like, some version of him before he's got the armor?

Doom without his armor simply is not a thing.

 

[crepesack]

Uh they add more stuff in post production you guys. If you look at the costuming for a lot of films especially guardians of the galaxy the costumes look pretty horrible until they CG everything in.

 

[Baresark]

Oh man... that is terrible. I think Doom is a great villain in general and he manages to look very unique when you think about how generic of a costume he has. But he wears it well and it looks awesome. But this is awful looking. They may have it right when they say "it's Doomed". I get the pun, but my god this is terrible looking. It looks like his armor melted.

 

[Objectable]

They'd better be intending to CG over that in post.

To quote Rifftrax, "The fuck is post?"
http://www.dreadcentral.com/img/reviews/birdemic3b.jpg