I think enough time has passed since the last Fantastic Four movies came out. They were average at best, and weren't at their best much. I'm a huge fan of the comic book series, and this was actually really difficult to cast. Coming up with the concept, on the other hand, was very easy, since I wrote half a screenplay of my own when I was 18. Ask me nicely to show you it and I might tell you to fuck off. Then show you it.
I'm sure you all know who the FF are, and if not you can look it up on Wikipedia because I can't be bothered giving you a summary.
THE CONCEPT
Like I said, enough time has passed so we don't need any pretence; just give a whole new origin story. I propose using Bendis, Millar and Kubert's Ultimate Fantastic Four as a basis, but keep it a fun family movie, as opposed to other, more intense, superhero films.
The Baxter Building is a government-sponsored think-tank, ran by civilian director Prof. Franklin Storm and Air Force liaison Col. Willie "Mailman" Lumpkin. Reed Richards has been there since his boy genius days (maybe show him and Ben in their youth, focusing on their isolation -- neither gets on with other kids -- and their lack of purpose) along with heir to the Latverian throne Victor von Doom, arrogant but brilliant. Prof Storm's kids, Sue and Johnny, also live there. Reed is friends with Johnny, smitten with Sue and sees Prof. Storm as a father-figure in absence of his own. Victor's only friend is Reed, whom he sees as beneath him like everyone else, but their share daddy issues and scientific ideas.
The story would mostly follow Reed as he works on a device to harness a powerful energy field (the Power Cosmic from the comics) which he believes could be manipulated to warp reality. His old school friend Ben shows up, mostly to ask the audience's questions, and instantly gets on bad terms with Johnny.
Also at the Baxter Building is geneticist Dr. Harvey Elder, whom the younger geniuses have cruelly nicknamed "Mole Man" due to a prominent mole on his face. Elder has radical notions on natural selection, and wants to artificially speed up evolution, and thinks that the "best" of humanity should move to underground cities. Victor supports him.
Elder is kicked out by Storm and Lumpkin, who view his ideas as inhuman and deranged. Victor has also secretly been helping Elder with secret off-base experiments.
Everyone is there when Reed's power device is switched on, intending to test it by transforming an apple into an orange. Victor makes some unseen modification to Reed's calculations, despite discussing it with him earlier and Reed saying no.
Reed overcomes his crush and plants one on Sue just as the device flares up, and a bright light engulfs Reed, Sue, Johnny and Ben. They are gone.
Prof. Storm, Col. Lumpkin and Victor work to figure out what went wrong. One by one, after some amusing and power-showcasing situations, they are found in random spots in and around New York City. Victor secretly contacts Dr. Elder and tells him where to find Sue before she can be retrieved.
Ben should actually be quite calm about his condition to begin with (could even encounter Alicia Masters) until Reed tells him that he's clueless as to what happened or how to turn him back. Then Ben starts to break down, becoming angry and depressed.
Reed and Victor deduce that the power field (which did not effect the test apple at all) fundamentally changed them, even defying the laws of physics. Victor reveals that he did this purposely to see what would happen. They lock him up.
We see everybody's powers getting tested. Johnny thinks it's all cool, Ben hates it, Reed is curious. The "unstable molecule" jumpsuits are introduced. Johnny and Prof. Storm have a moment, worrying about Sue, just to show Johnny's not a total idiot.
Sue wakes up in Elder's secret underground lair, underneath the Baxter, build with Victor's help. They've been conducting horrific experiments, creating genetically-altered humans, "Moloids", as slaves. Plus something larger, unseen for now. Sue's ability to turn invisible is shown. Elder tells her that he, Victor and Sue are to be the only "pure" humans allowed in their new utopia. Sue is disgusted.
Reed and Victor have the classic hero/villain discussion and Reed sees just how arrogant Victor really is. Somehow, Reed finds out where Elder's hideout is and plans a rescue. Lumpkin tells him that the Pentagon wants him, Ben and Johnny quarantined until further notice. They decide to rescue Sue anyway.
Sue gets free on her own (she can turn invisible, after all) and meets the guys halfway. They all fight the Moloids, showcasing their powers again with Sue discovering that she can do force-fields too. In his desperation, Elder releases the larger creature, based on the one from the cover of the first ever FF issue. It smashes through the surface, into the middle of New York and starts trashing the place.
Reed, Sue, Ben and Johnny defeat the creature in some clever way, with Sue reciprocating Reed's earlier kiss. The public sees them in action. Elder is arrested.
Reed pleads with Victor to tell him about the modifications Victor made to the power device, so Reed can turn them all back to normal. Victor refuses. Word arrives that Victor's father has died, making him now the leader of Latveria with full diplomatic immunity. He is free to leave. Reed, after being the only person to show Victor kindness over the years, finally snaps and throws some chemical beaker at Victor, scarring his face. Victor swears vengeance.
With the big fight in public, they cannot hide from the world, so they make a public debut as the Fantastic Four (the team name should not be uttered until the last scene). Ben and Reed have finally found their purpose, despite Ben's discomfort, and the Baxter Building will be turned into their headquarters from which they will fight unconventional threats.
SEQUELS
A second film would see the rise of Dr. Doom, his experiments to contact the dead, and goal of world domination. The FF's family dynamic would be fleshed out, as well as their role in the world; fighting abnormal threats. Ben would start seeing Alicia Masters, and her father, the Puppet Master, could be an interesting secondary villain, using Doom's technology.
A third film would finally see out heroes go into space. The villain would be Annihilus. The "realm of the dead" that Victor tries to contact in the second film would in fact be the Negative Zone. Thanks to the FF, Annihilus discovers our dimension and wants to kill everybody. His alien qualities should be played up; he doesn't really understand us and sees us as insects. He and Johnny should have a tense moment, 'cause of what happened in the comics.
THE DIRECTOR
I've heard Chris Columbus's name get mentioned in other fantasy FF movie posts, and I think he could work. Perfect blend of family drama and action/sci-fi. Robert Rodriguez, for his work on the Spy Kids movies, could also be good.
THE CAST
Reed Richards -- Neil Patrick Harris. This one took me a while. It was difficult to find somebody who is the perfect blend of smart and charming. NPH gets mentioned for a lot of superhero roles, but this is the only one I think he's perfect for.
Sue Storm -- Kristen Bell. Another one who I can't believe hasn't been in a superhero movie (Heroes doesn't count). She's the right blend of fun and awesome to play Marvel's greatest female character.
Johnny Storm -- Justin Timberlake. I've heard good things about him, so he should be able to pull off the cool kid who means well.
Ben Grimm -- David Morse. He's more of a supporting actor, but I think he's just untapped. Could do very well as the ever-lovin' blue-eyed Thing from Brooklyn. The large age difference between him and NPH might make it a tad unbelievable to see them as childhood friends, but he'd be under make-up/CGI most of the time anyway. I'm open to other suggestions though.
Victor von Doom -- Joaquin Phoenix. Another one I agonised over. Not just because Dr. Doom is one of the greatest supervillains of all time, but because it was difficult to find someone both intense yet willing to do a light-hearted movie. I think Phoenix would be up for it, but again I'm not set on this one.
Franklin Storm -- John Lithgow. That long-titled ape movie made me see what a great father-figure, role model type he is, plus it's time he got back in the thick of it again.
Willie Lumpkin -- Dick van Dyke. This is really just for reference, since Dick is 1,007 years old. Then again, Willie is one of Marvel's oldest characters… Somebody younger would probably be a safe bet though.
Harvey Elder -- Willie Garson. Short, disgusting nerdy guy? Done.
As I said, I've been thinking on this one for a while, thus why it is so in-depth. I just needed to get some names for the fantasy cast. Let's see what Marvel themselves come up with, since they're already planning a reboot.
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