Matthew Vaughn is in a very unique place among filmmakers that have worked on Fox/Marvel superhero properties. Not only is he the man that directed “X-Men: First Class,” but he also was a producer on the Josh Trank “Fantastic Four” 2015 reboot disaster. So, when he talks about the fact that Disney, and thus Marvel Studios, now controls both franchises, he’s offering advice from a place of experience.
Speaking to CinemaBlend, Vaughn talked about how he’d approach the “Fantastic Four” and “X-Men” properties if his name was Kevin Feige and he was in charge of Marvel Studios. The filmmaker believes that the easiest way forward is with “Fantastic Four,” even though he admits being part of the “terrible” recent reboot.
“[‘Fantastic Four’ is] probably the most, I think, commercially viable Marvel Comic,” explained Vaughn. “Kevin Feige will get ahold of that and probably make a masterpiece.”
He continued, “And the X-Men world, I imagine that might get put on ice for a little bit. I think it needs a little bit of breathing room. They made a hell of a lot since ‘First Class,’ if you think about it. [‘Fantastic Four’] would be the thing I’d like to see them do next. Disney and Fan Four and Marvel is a really potent combination.”
While nothing has been officially announced, Feige has made it clear that these properties won’t be showing up on the MCU slate anytime soon. With a schedule full of projects already, it’s likely we won’t see either ‘FF’ or ‘X-Men’ for several years, at least. But, of course, things could change, and Vaughn is probably right that “Fantastic Four” is much easier to reboot than the “X-Men” franchise, which has lasted 20 years.
And he says the clear way to reboot ‘FF’ is to make it a period film, set in the ‘60s, which has been talked about by other filmmakers before.
“That’s what I did with the X-Men, though,” said the filmmaker. “These ideas were born — sort of the Fan Four and the nuclear family and the dysfunctional family and science — it’s an easier time. I mean, superhero films in the modern world … everything in the modern world, it’s harder and harder to do. Because you know, the technology, it’s all out there.”
Is Vaughn putting his name in the discussion as a possible helmer for the eventual “Fantastic Four” reboot? Probably not, but given that he’s already done a period superhero film before, Vaughn does have a fair amount of experience in that specific niche. So maybe Marvel Studios will give him a call?
