Fantastic Four Reboot

If it's like most other film licensing contracts, the rights wouldn't revert back to Marvel for seven years after filming wrapped. So assuming the movie bombs and doesn't get a sequel, it would be probably around mid to late 2021 when the rights would revert back to Marvel, assuming Fox doesn't try to make a sequel or reboot it yet again before late 2021. If they do that gives them another 7 year window as long as production was completed on anything filmed. Hence this reboot. Fantastic Four 2 came out in 2007. To retain the FF rights, Fox had to get a new FF film into production fast, which they did with pre-production in late 2013 and early 2014, and filming that wrapped a couple months ago.

So yeah, late 2021 at the earliest, more likely 2023 or 2024 if Fox does a sequel (which depends entirely on how this movie fares), but recent indicators seem to be painting it as a stinker.

As long as production/plans for a new FF movie haven't started by that time, and filming started by a specific deadline established by the time lengths in the contract, Marvel will get the FF rights back sometime in the next 10 years.

Even if the movie doesn't get released? They keep the rights just by virtue of having worked on the film?

That seems like a weird rule. So can Fox hire a couple of film students to make a movie for 100$ every seven years just to keep the rights? Or is it stipulated in the contracts what "producing a movie based on the franchise" has to look like?
 
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Even if the movie doesn't get released? They keep the rights just by virtue of having worked on the film?

That's what happened to the Roger Corman Fantastic Four movie. It was completed and never released; most believe it was only done to retain the rights.

A 1993 magazine article gave a tentative release date of Labor Day weekend 1993.[9] During that summer, trailers ran in theaters and on the video release of Corman's Carnosaur. Cast members promoted the film at a clips-screening at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles and at the San Diego Comic-Con International. By this time, the world premiere was announced to take place at the Mall of America in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on January 19, 1994, with proceeds from the event earmarked for the charities Ronald McDonald House and the Children's Miracle Network.[10]

Eichinger then informed Sassone that the film would not be released. Speculation arose that the film had never been intended for release, but had gone into production solely as a way for Eichinger to retain rights to the characters; Stan Lee said in 2005 that this was indeed the case, insisting, "The movie was never supposed to be shown to anybody," and adding that the cast and crew had been left unaware.[11] Corman and Eichinger dismissed Lee's claims, with the former stating in the same article, "We had a contract to release it, and I had to be bought out of that contract" by Eichinger.[10] Eichinger, also in that article, calls Lee's version of events "definitely not true. It was not our [original] intention to make a B movie, that's for sure, but when the movie was there, we wanted to release it."[10] He said future Marvel film impresario Avi Arad, at this point, in 1993, a Marvel executive,
(Wikipedia)
 
Even if the movie doesn't get released? They keep the rights just by virtue of having worked on the film?

Yup, as the 1994 FF film proved. Of course, all contracts have minor differences, but the seven year window after production wraps is pretty standard in the industry.


That seems like a weird rule. So can Fox hire a couple of film students to make a movie for 100$ every seven years just to keep the rights? Or is it stipulated in the contracts what "producing a movie based on the franchise" has to look like?

No.

The film must be a serious effort at making a film aimed for theater release. I'm sure Marvel have learned a thing or two since the 1994 FF movie, and probably have budgetary minimum guidelines that must be met, etc.

Point is, Fox isn't going to hold onto the rights without spending $100 million plus to make a new film.
 
Maybe if it bombs FOX would be willing to give up the rights? Disney gave up the rights for John Carter after what, a year? I doubt it'll happen with FOX, but there's always that possibility.
 
Maybe if it bombs FOX would be willing to give up the rights? Disney gave up the rights for John Carter after what, a year? I doubt it'll happen with FOX, but there's always that possibility.

For some reason I REALLY want to see the rights to this go back to Marvel. I don't really care if X-Men do. I mean, yeah it would be cool, but Fox is doing alright with that franchize. And yes, I'd like to see Spidey head over there too, but there have been enough Spider-Man movies that I don't know what they'd do with him at this point. FF... I just feel like they NEED to be at Marvel to get a fair shake and that it would be SO easy to weave them into the MCU.
 
For some reason I REALLY want to see the rights to this go back to Marvel. I don't really care if X-Men do. I mean, yeah it would be cool, but Fox is doing alright with that franchize. And yes, I'd like to see Spidey head over there too, but there have been enough Spider-Man movies that I don't know what they'd do with him at this point. FF... I just feel like they NEED to be at Marvel to get a fair shake and that it would be SO easy to weave them into the MCU.

The X-Men can stay with Fox because in general they're fairly insular. X-stuff happens in X-books and bleeds very little into the main marvel universe. FF is the exact opposite, and should be at Marvel proper.
 
Fantastic Four for Phase 4.

Unfortunately, even Phase 4 is unlikely. Assuming the first film bombs, and Fox don't start production on a sequel at all, even then, it would be mid to late 2022 at earliest before the rights revert back to Marvel. Now, it's possible that if that happens they fast track a new FF film into production, possibly aiming for a late 2023 or early/mid 2024 release.

But even if they do fast track it, I doubt it'll be out in time for Phase 4. Phase 4 will likely span however many films are released from late 2019/early 2020 through 2022/2023. By the time a theoretical FF films' rights are even back in Marvel's hands, Phase 4 will likely be almost done with, and there likely won't be anywhere near enough time to write a script (though it wouldn't surprise me at all if Feige and Marvel Studios have a few spec scripts/ideas for a FF reboot set in the MCU locked away in a file cabinet waiting for them to get the rights back), preproduction, casting, filming, editing, visual effects, marketing, etc. Not in less than a year.

Then again, stranger things have happened, so I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Still, I commend you on the tongue in cheek nod. Kudos, sir!! Seriously, we should turn that into a nerd-inspired hashtag campaign for Fox to sell Marvel the FF film rights back.
 

I want to apologize for the upcoming profanity.

Genius convenience store clerk?

**** you people. You have one ****ing job. Make a movie out of a comic about family and the joy and wonder of exploration and invention. If this is real then they've made laziest possible option at every turn. Reed might be unrelatable? **** it, He's Spider-Man now. Sue as his equal? Nah, party girl who hates science.

Susan Storm hates science.

It sounds like Ben and Johnny are just along for ride which... isn't too far off actually. But they've ****ed up Reed, Sue and Doom. At this point why make the movie? Is this just to piss marvel off? We have your characters and we're going to **** on them and there's nothing you can do about it!
 
At this point I can't wait to see it.

And the writer called the summary "bull****". Even though it goes along with what has already been confirmed about Doom.
 
At this point I can't wait to see it.

And the writer called the summary "bull****". Even though it goes along with what has already been confirmed about Doom.

The fact that I'm willing to believe it speaks volumes.
 
The fact that I'm willing to believe it speaks volumes.

Yeah, if this came out before the casting I would have laughed and probably would have made a crack about Latino Review needing new writers. Now though, 100% possible.
 
I guess with Doom being a hacker, he will have to trade in his armor for a Cheetos stained Thundercats shirt.
 
Hmmm I'm a corporate video maker by day. I don't care how posses off this exec supposedly is. Disney have a VERY strong history of squeezing their assets for all they are worth. I mean how many marvel projects are there over the next 5 years? 8 movies? 8 tv shows?

My point being the idea that they work ever abandon their characters seems very unlikely to me. This looks more like a negotiation tactic to get the FF back. Frankly with a full run if films set up, I actually wouldn't be surprised if marvel doesn't want them back just yet.

As for the leaked plots and doom as a hacker...I don't buy it either. I bet all of this is just a publicity stunt. The last FF films didn't do great..,
 
I guess we'll be getting a trailer for this sometime in the next 90 days or so right? At this point I just want this thing done with to be honest. As a huge Fantastic Four fan I feel kind of sad. The book had been good for me since Mark Waid (I have enjoyed some of the stuff but nothing that really wowed me) and now James Robinson is making it awesome and full of continuity nods (this is an arc for fans) but it's ending. Then this is coming and everything is pointing to it being a big piece of crap. I honestly want this to be good, but I really don't see it happening.
 
I guess we'll be getting a trailer for this sometime in the next 90 days or so right? At this point I just want this thing done with to be honest. As a huge Fantastic Four fan I feel kind of sad. The book had been good for me since Mark Waid (I have enjoyed some of the stuff but nothing that really wowed me) and now James Robinson is making it awesome and full of continuity nods (this is an arc for fans) but it's ending. Then this is coming and everything is pointing to it being a big piece of crap. I honestly want this to be good, but I really don't see it happening.

They'll probably release the trailer during the Super Bowl.
 

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