Considering how far-fetched ghouls and goblins really are, the fact that supernatural creatures and unkillable slashers (pointing my finger at you, Jason Voorhees!) are so inextricably linked to big-screen chills and thrills rings more than a bit false. While vampires, werewolves and assorted other creepy-crawlers are fun to watch, the real world has always been far more terrifying. People are often riding an emotional rollercoaster based on the life they’ve led and the experiences that have shaped them (as Pixar brilliantly taught us this summer). Sometimes, these same individuals can turn on those around them, even the people they call friends.
In Episode 12 of the Crooked Table Podcast, Rob tackles the complicated mess left in the wake of the Fantastic Fourreboot. What exactly went down between director Josh Trank and Fox executives? Will Marvel ever get the rights back to the characters? Can one man really ramble on about superheroes for half an hour? Find out… at least that last answer here!
Back in 1961, a team of superheroes named the Fantastic Four helped launch Marvel Comics into the pop cultural stratosphere (yes, even before Peter Parker was bitten by a radioactive spider). Dubbed “Marvel’s First Family”, the team kicked off the interconnected universe that ties together the company’s endless supply of heroes and villains, a world that has now been realized on the big screen. However, due to rights issues, the Fantastic Four remains a standalone product, but given that the first attempt to launch a franchise ended unceremoniously, the question lingered on for years if Fox could reinvigorate the fading property. Now we know.
