So much of the marketing materials for Josh Trank’s upcoming Fantastic Four have focused on the introduction of the team members. To date, we haven’t seen much of their powers. CGI delays have been the assumed reason, but now that we are getting closer to the film’s release, clips like this show off what the Fantastic Four are able to do.
This footage, courtesy of a MovieTickets promo, places an emphasis on Michael B. Jordan’s take on The Human Torch – meaning that we finally get a full glance of Johnny Storm flaming on. He doesn’t shout “Flame On!” in the clip (a missed opportunity to please the fanboys), but it’s a nice, extended glimpse at the effects being used to cover this kid’s body in fire. It also gives us a great look at the suit that Storm will wear, a black leotard with red panels that appear to contain his flames, or control them when they take over 100% of his body.
Assuming that this promo reel uses footage from Josh Trank’s actual Fantastic Four film, this scene takes place after the team has returned from the N-Zone, an interdimensional realm where Johnny, Reed Richards (Miles Teller), Sue Storm (Kate Mara) and Ben Grimm (Jamie Bell) are saddled with powers that help turn them in to The Fantastic Four. The MovieTickets reel goes in to the abilities of each Fantastic Four member, but they use footage that we previously saw in earlier trailers. Only the Torch stuff is new, and worth discussing.
What else do we know about Fantastic Four? At this point, it’s clear that it’s going to be an origin story for Marvel’s First Family. Dr. Franklin Storm (Reg E. Cathey) will be the man responsible for recruiting a team to enter the N-Zone, believing that the brilliant Reed Richards (Teller) is the secret to completing years of unfinished research on behalf of the government. On the expedition, all four members of the team will be affected by cosmic rays, turning them into superheroes.
The wild card in Fantastic Four is the cast member we really haven’t seen yet: Tobey Kebbell’s Victor Domashev. That trailer above finally reveals that Domashev – the man who will become Doom – enters the N-Zone with the team. But just how powerful he becomes remains to be seen.
Fantastic Four actually has a prime late-summer release date. Set for August 7, it will contend with Marvel’s Ant-Man, but other films have capitalized on early August dates, so there’s hope. Look for it on August 7, when the team finally assembles.
