Throughout its relatively quiet production cycle, The Fantastic Four has dropped pieces of information that, for better or worse, have successfully distinguished the 2015 movie from its 2005 predecessor. Just when you thought the Josh Trank directed film couldn't be any more different from Tim Story's two attempts at launching a viable Marvel franchise, a new scoop promises that The Fantastic Four will be set in a completely different universe than any other Fantastic Four movie before it. That's not hyperbole either, the film is actually going to involve alternate universe travel.
Comic Book Movie has reported that an allegedly official synopsis for The Fantastic Four has broken through various venues, Rotten Tomatoes being one of them. You can read what the film's plot has in store below.
THE FANTASTIC FOUR, a contemporary re-imagining of Marvel's original and longest-running superhero team, centers on four young outsiders who teleport to an alternate and dangerous universe, which alters their physical form in shocking ways. Their lives irrevocably upended, the team must learn to harness their daunting new abilities and work together to save Earth from a former friend turned enemy. (C) Fox
So not only does it look like we're going to be party to a found footage reboot where Doctor Doom is a computer programmer and the team wears sexy HazMat suits, but we're now going to see The Four travel between universes and be played younger than ever before.
While this isn't particularly a bad thing, as the cast of Kate Mara, Michael B. Jordan, Miles Teller, and Jamie Bell is a pretty good roster to have; it could be a disastrous thing if the writing skews to a more "hip and fresh" attitude to fit the young cast members. Again, Doctor Doom is a computer programmer... that little decision didn't exactly sit well with most people, as it sounds like a way to inject "tech savvy" storylines into the films.
On the more positive side though, this is the first Fantastic Four film to use the alternate universe angle that some of the comics like Ultimate Fantastic Four have used. Alternate universes could explain a whole bunch of the changes that this version of the story has brought on board, and could also lead to some interesting cross-overs if used properly. In fact, this is probably the best news The Fantastic Four has playing in its favor.
Of course, while the writers of the Fantastic Four reboot are at it, there's still plenty of time to throw in a gag or two to repay Marvel for not only canceling the comic component of the franchise, but also having The Punisher kill their entire cast. You know... in the spirit of fair play and good natured humor! Here's hoping that this synopsis is confirmed as accurate by Fox in the near future, as this could possibly get more people excited for The Fantastic Four's theatrical release on August 7, 2015.
