Harry here... As X2 passes $100 million today, Fox has... well, frankly they've seen the light as the Marvel Age of Cinema has firmly grasped hold in Hollywood. The next big Marvel Property that Fox is going to get moving on is the FANTASTIC FOUR, the one that started it all for Marvel Comics, and a film that fans have been dreaming decades for. The key to the property is nailing Reed Richards and right now while Mark Frost tunes up what is allegedly going to be THE draft of FANTASTIC FOUR that gets to the screen on Novermber 4th, 2004 (according to SuperHeroHype's reporting of the 1st Quarter Marvel Enterprises Earnings Conference Call today)... well right now... as in RIGHT NOW... Fox is in deadly serious talks with George Clooney to play Reed Richards.
Why?
Cuz, Avi Arad wants Clooney to be Reed Richards, and right now... what Avi wants, Avi gets and the word I'm hearing is that George is going to do it. You see, Avi wanted George for two different Marvel Characters... Reed Richards aka Mr Fantastic and... NICK FURY, AGENT OF S.H.I.E.L.D. George passed on that project because he was more into doing the Steranko cool as all fuck Nick Fury of the 60's and not the Ultra Violent Modern Take that they are apparently developing. PERSONALLY... GEORGE CLOONEY IS RIGHT! Ahem...
Ok, so we're not going to get George as Nick Fury, but we are going to get him as Mr Fantastic. SO... Now we have George as Reed... Who can we see as the others? PERSONALLY, since it seems Peyton Reed is going to be the director, I'd cast Renee Zellwegger as Sue Storm, get Matt Damon as Johnny Storm and cast John C Reilly as Ben Grimm. Ahem... But that's just me.
If Fox and Marvel are aiming for a November 4th, 2004 release date for FANTASTIC FOUR, that means they're going to want to get shooting no later than about October, cuz that's one helluva active post-production on that film... Of course, if it looks like the production is going to be pushed later... they could always open on JULY 4TH the following year, of course opening on a Monday is just... kinda weird...
