Even with the various Avengers movies on the horizon, and the X-Men renaissance that’s happening at Marvel Studios, my most anticipated upcoming Marvel movie probably is The Fantastic Four. This is a legacy property. This is Marvel royalty. It’s the company’s First Family, and yet, the studio hasn’t had the ability to take a proper crack at Mr. Fantastic, The Invisible Woman, The Thing, and The Human Torch yet, because the character rights belonged to Fox. When Matt Shakman delivers The Fantastic Four in 2025, we’re going to get the purest interpretation of these iconic characters, and I absolutely LOVE the early looks we’ve been getting of the team, including this new one of Johnny Storm in full “Flame On” mode!
🔥🔥🔥🔥 #TheFantasticFour Celebrate 4-4 Day at: https://t.co/0L6vmfvKPN pic.twitter.com/byRvjcbsNfApril 4, 2024
It’s the little details in this exquisite poster that have me very excited about The Fantastic Four. Previous iterations of the character have missed out on specifics that help The Human Torch mirror his comic counterpart. We have seen a live-action Torch twice on screen now, first when Chris Evans played him in the two Tim Story-directed films, and later when Michael B. Jordan played Torch in Josh Trank’s debacle. Let’s see what they looked like.
Here’s Chris Evans. Not too bad. Very much like a man on fire, while still keeping the facial characteristics of Evans, the actor:
Michael B. Jordan in the 2015 Fantastic Four movie was very different. More molten, with a darkened surface that eliminated any facial recognition. Instead of us seeing Jordan, his Torch appeared more as an android lit on fire. A definite choice:
What do I see in the Human Torch sketch above? Lines in the suit. On his chest, torso, and down his legs. For those who grew up idolizing the comics, they’re essential to the Human Torch. Also, the yellow eyes and mouth when Johnny Storm is in “Flame On” mode. And the flames – they are controlled, rolled in tight to the skin, and almost creating ripples that Evans and Jordan didn’t have. The tweaks are minor, but mighty. That figure above, shared by Marvel Studios, is the closest thing we have seen to The Human Torch. And if Joseph Quinn can look like that in live action, I’ll pay to see The Fantastic Four in theaters 11 times.
There have been a number of exciting developments on The Fantastic Four as of late. Ozark standout Julia Garner has been tapped to play The Silver Surfer in the Marvel movie, and there are rumors (which make sense) that this means Galactus will be the big bad for the blockbuster. Marvel Studios laid the groundwork for the arrival of the planet devourer when they introduced Celestials in Eternals. But who will play Galactus in the movie? And how might it be done? There’s going to be wild mo-cap in The Fantastic Four, from Torch to the Surfer to The Thing.
We have time to figure all of this out. Marvel Studios will release The Fantastic Four on July 25, 2025. That’s a lot of fives…. un-FOUR-tunately.
