Needless to say that Hollywood has been hit hard by this year’s writers and actors strikes, with the former having only just ended a week ago and the latter still ongoing. As a result, many films and TV productions have ground to a halt, but not the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Fantastic Four. Yes, there are preproduction tasks that have needed to be set aside indefinitely, but director Matt Sharman has explained how the upcoming Marvel movie has been able to keep working “nonstop.”
Shakman, who made his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut directing and executive producing WandaVision, took over Fantastic Four directing duties at the end of August 2022. Over a year later, the filmmaker opened up to Collider on the work he and members of his crew have been able to tackle on the reboot in the midst of these strikes. When interviewer Steve Weintraub inquired about the VFX portion of the creative process, Shakman answered:
We have been nonstop. Despite the strikes, yes, we’ve been working with the effects and with production design and building our world, and that’s been incredibly exciting. You know, how do you translate those skills into live-action in dynamic ways? Because some things that work beautifully in John Byrne and Jack Kirby are a little tougher when you’re filming them. How do you make sure that things are exciting but also grounded in a scientific thing, which is also part of the Fantastic Four that I love? There’s some stuff I’m super excited about. I can’t say too much, you know?
Because the Fantastic Four have already had three chances to shine in a cinematic setting (four if you count the unreleased movie from 1994), Matt Shakman and his team not only have the daunting of making sure that Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, The Thing and The Human Torch’s powers stand out from the versions that came before, but also make sure they’re both visually appealing, yet still come across as “grounded” and not overly… well, ironically, fantastical. Still, it sounds like the Fantastic Four crew have a good grasp on this aspect of the reboot, as well as production design, though Shakman understandably wasn’t able to divulge any specifics.
As for Fantastic Four’s casting, although SAG-AFTRA and Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers are currently in negotiations, there’s still no indication of when that strike will end. As such, Shakman wasn’t able to provide a timetable on when we’ll learn whose playing Marvel’s First Family in the MCU, saying:
Hard to say. Like I said, we’re in the middle of a SAG strike, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that they get a great deal really soon and we can go back. Then, once that’s resolved, there’ll be a plan at that point, but I can’t say too much. There will be an announcement at some point! I know that the internet is very excited to find out, and I’m excited to share it. I just can’t do it yet.
Although John Krasinski played Earth-838’s Mister Fantastic in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, a new actor is expected to take on the stretchy role for the next Fantastic Four movie. In early August, it was rumored that Doctor Who’s Matt Smith was offered the role, and the month prior, Vanessa Kirby said it would be an “honor” to play Sue Storm after reports surfaced that she’d been in contact with Marvel for the role. Judging by Matt Shakman’s comment, it sounds like he already knows who’s been cast as the quartet, but that information can’t be shared with the public until the strike is over.
Fantastic Four is slotted for May 2, 2025, and unlike the 2005 and 2015 Fantastic Four movies, this reboot won’t be an origin story. Josh Friedman wrote the most recent draft of the script, and while principal photography is expected to begin in January 2024, it seems like a good bet that will need to delayed as a result of the strike, which could in turn prompt its releases date being pushed back.