ROTTEN TOMATOES: No More Fantastic Four Sequels?

No More Fantastic Four Sequels?

Chris Evans says a third act for the crime-fighting quartet is unlikely.

by Jeff Giles | March 24, 2008

When the first two installments of a film franchise rack up nearly $300 million in domestic box office receipts, you'd tend to think a third chapter in the series would be inevitable.

According to Chris Evans, however, you'd be wrong. The actor, who starred as Johnny Storm, a.k.a. The Human Torch, in 2005's Fantastic Four (26 percent Tomatometer) and 2007's Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (35 percent), tells MTV Movies that he doesn't expect to get the call for a third installment:

"I'm pretty sure we won't do [another] one. I'm assuming that one is a closed book. After the first one was released we got wind of potential titles and plots [almost immediately], and I've heard nothing from anyone at Fox [yet]...We had all planned on doing [another] one, but if there were going to be a third, I think a week after the second one was released we would have heard."

It would be tempting to dismiss Evans' comments as the movie-star equivalent of "I'm taking my marbles and going home," but he's always been admirably forthright about the weaknesses of the Fantastic films -- when promoting Rise of the Silver Surfer, he expressed hope that good reviews and/or box office would enable a third installment to "inch closer to a legitimate cast and a legitimate film."

Of course, Evans isn't ruling out a return to blue spandex. What with all the rumors of crossover cameos in the current crop of Marvel films, MTV thought it might be a good idea to ask him if he'd be up for an appearance as the Torch in another hero's franchise, and Evans -- who is co-starring with Keanu Reeves in April's Street Kings -- responded with "Absolutely."

Source: MTV Movies

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(1-20 of 84 posts) | Reply

TombstoneLawDog writes:
on Mar 24 2008 05:47 AM

Much as he's obviously doing the 'pretty boy' circuit in movies like this, Evans also seems to be taking efforts to make himself into a serious actor; see, for example, "Sunshine"-- great, more complicated role in what started off as a great movie. Candor like this makes me respect him that much more. I can only enjoy being a cynical prick and speculate why FF was NOT a 'legitimate cast.' Rhymes with 'Jessica Alba'..

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Elixor writes:
on Mar 24 2008 05:58 AM

Good. These were bad movies and shouldn't have been made in the first place. Both managed to misrepresent two great characters in Dr. Doom and Galactus. Not to mention that they were horribly written and acted.

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Vortex&Vertigo writes:
on Mar 24 2008 06:27 AM

See. there are no coincidances. This is why he was the only thing worth seeing in the fantastic four series.

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dylan21484nj writes:
on Mar 24 2008 06:30 AM

thank god it's over. and i agree that Alba was the weakest link in the cast. so many people go on and how about how hot she is. yeah, we get it, she's smoking hot. but she's a terrible actor. i thought someone like Naomi Watts was better suited for the Sue Storm role, but the casting of Alba was proof that they were aiming for eye candy rather than acting chops.

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iakobos writes:
on Mar 24 2008 06:48 AM

Don't lay all the blame at the feet of Alba. Ioan Gruffudd simply didn't pull off the part of Reed Richards at all. I don't know if it was his failure as an actor, the writing or the directing or all the above but he never came close to portraying Richards as he is depicted in the commics. In the comics Richards was a tougher, more authoritative leader. It was obvious he was in charge. In the movie, Richards was none of that.

It's a real shame the movies weren't any better. Wish I could say I'm going to miss a third installment.

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The Tony Show writes:
on Mar 24 2008 06:55 AM

Just wait 10 years and they'll hire a dark, mysterious Director to "reboot" it.

lol

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dahluzz writes:
on Mar 24 2008 07:10 AM

hosanna in the highest, the series is dead. i watched about an hour of the first one on hbo and that was plenty.

i mean, everyone knew sue storm was always way out of reed's league, but he wooed her through his ballerism, and Ioan Gruffudd (hate that name, how do you even say it?) displayed no such game. plus, alba was her usual stilted, unassured self.

however, i don't think ole chris evans should be pining for legitimacy. as impressive as "celular" and "the nanny diaries" were, chris, I don't know if you're quite on the A-list yourself.

anyways, please let this franchise die, and if they insist on crossing one of the characters over, make it dr. doom. guy is pure evil and wasn't given his due at all.

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TombstoneLawDog writes:
on Mar 24 2008 07:25 AM

Yeah, ..I'll give you guys that Gruffud was pretty bad, too. All the machismo of McLovin and half the charisma.

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crystalwhiteeyes writes:
on Mar 24 2008 07:35 AM

Fantastic!!

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largely writes:
on Mar 24 2008 07:39 AM

Yaayyyyyyyyy! Now if JLA would just follow suit. Hey did anybody else not like Lawrence Fishburn's voice for SS. I remember seeing an early trailer that had Doug Jones's voice over and it sounded so much more like what I thought the Surfer should sound like. Now he just sounds like Morpheus.

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Thundaar writes:
on Mar 24 2008 07:49 AM

This series failed mostly because of the writing and the direction. The cast wasn't strong - except Evans IMO. Conceptually, they went for camp. Bad idea.

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DrNvrmore writes:
on Mar 24 2008 07:56 AM

You guys take this ***** to seriously.

The first movie was not well done at all but the 2nd movie was much better - while not acted that much better the movie was no worse than any of the 3 X-Men movies. Weakest link was Julian McMahon as Dr. Doom, he played the exact same cheese character as he did in the Charmed Ones and just like Alyssa Milano, Jessica Alba makes up for "lack of acting ability" in the "nice to look at" category.

I am sure we will see the return of the FF to movies - as Marvel doesn't seem to care about making cornpuffs (ei: Daredevil, Elektra, Ghost Rider) - I think Marvel is just looking at completing their big "super-hero introduction" movies (ie: Iron Man, Incredible Hulk and then future movies like Antman, Capt. America, Thor) that will lead to the Avengers Movie.

Not that anyone cares... but my 5 year old son thinks that the 2 FF movies are the best thing this side of anything created by Pixar.

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Kollikodon writes:
on Mar 24 2008 08:03 AM

I was kinda hoping they'd drag the 'useless adventure that couldnt' until a 4th installment..

Fantastic 4: Quatro, anyone?

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darth_chef writes:
on Mar 24 2008 08:07 AM

Hopefully the Silver Surfer will get his standalone film now

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arendr writes:
on Mar 24 2008 08:32 AM

Thank God. Those movies are abominations.

And not just because Alba can't act.

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bat-fink writes:
on Mar 24 2008 10:02 AM

I must be in the minority that actually didnt mind the films too much. I coulda handled a 3rd just to round it off. I think spiderman 3 was worse. But i never asked much from FF, wasnt a big fan of the comics. And i agree Alba was the weakest link, and i dont particularly think shes that hot. I know waaaay hotter girls in real life than alba. Give me Kelly Brook anyday. (Alba would still cop it sweet though!)

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DrNvrmore writes:
on Mar 24 2008 10:23 AM

In reply to this comment (#1650708)
Didn't realize Bat-Fink knew Kelly Brook.

I will say that Alba might not fit everyone's taste but I don't see how people could ever say she is "not THAT hot" after they watch her in "INTO THE BLUE".

And if BatFink does know hotter gals that Alba what is he doing wasting time on this message board... LOL!

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5minutesmusic writes:
on Mar 24 2008 10:32 AM

The first one was terrible, but Rise of the Silver Surfer was so much better. I enjoyed it. Would I like to have some one else replace Jessica Alba? Yes, I think she was just terrible in FF movies. Chris Evans I thought was convincing enough. If they are going to do another one in the next couple years I hope they get someone to replace Alba!

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The Tony Show writes:
on Mar 24 2008 11:05 AM

Chris Evans had me at "Teen Movie" ("There's a hole in the side of your house"). The guy has good comic timing, yet still pulls off the serious stuff well. He's no Oscar winner yet, but he's enjoyable to watch.

The rest of the FF cast is not so fortunate.

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rgallitan writes:
on Mar 24 2008 11:25 AM

Didn't see the second one, but I liked the first. It wasn't great, and Alba and Dr. Doom WERE pretty weak, but it was mostly harmless fun. I think people are too hard on it because they compare it to the more mature reboots we've been blessed with in recent years, and forget that the FF4 comics were never anything but fluff.

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