As of this morning, Fantastic Four sits at 9% on Rotten Tomatoes. To put in context how awful that is, Adam Sandler's Pixels, which nearly everyone batted around like a cat toy, has a 17% rating. Not surprisingly, an autopsy is being done to figure out exactly what went and who to lay blame on. Was it Josh Trank and his rumored personality clashes on set? Was it the meddling studio execs looking to steer their considerable investment in the superhero film? Not surprisingly, the blame seems to fall on both sides according to a report EW released over the weekend.
While it was obvious to anyone who saw Fantastic Four that there were too many hands pulling the tone in vastly different directions, Trank all but confirmed it in a quickly-deleted tweet a few days ago. Rumors had been going around since last year of creative difficulties during the production, with much of the blame laid at Trank's feet. Those claims would resurface when he was subsequently fired (or he quit, depends who you ask) from a Star Wars movie at Lucasfilm. While Trank and producer Simon Kinberg have put a positive spin on those stories, sources tell EW says at least some of them were true...
"...the rift on set was not about creative differences but rather combative and abusive behavior Trank demonstrated toward the crew, producers, studio and even the stars. It’s partly linked to Trank’s personal disputes – involving accusations of deliberate damage done to the house he was renting, as revenge over a dispite with the landlord – which sources say eventually manifested on set as hostility and frustration from Trank."
Not surprisingly, there are others who say differently, and put the blame for Trank's attitude squarely on Fox execs who kept "switching up managers and expectations" at a moment's notice....
"Some who worked on the film say Trank broke, for sure, but was driven to the breaking point by the studio, and that his clash was not with Kinberg but Fox production president Emma Watts. According to several individuals who worked on the movie, the studio delayed casting and script approvals, slashed the budget by tens of millions from what was originally promised during the development phase, and tried to force last-minute script changes to the film just as principal photography was beginning."
Still, much of the burden of guilt appears to be falling on Trank, who jumped from a small-budget success story like Chronicle into the world of big studio tentpoles and may not have been prepared for exactly what that meant...
"Some who worked on the movie insist to EW that whatever frustrations and conflicts Trank faced from the studio, they were normal parts of the production of a tentpole movie with a budget north of $100 million. Some theorize Trank was a talented storyteller but not nearly seasoned enough to manage the studio’s concerns, which led to a loss of confidence from Watts, and simmering tensions between Fox and the director that only escalated, right up to release day."
Those charges are especially potent considering the success of indie filmmakers Colin Trevorrow and Gareth Edwards, who broke the bank with Jurassic World and Godzilla, respectively. To his credit, Trank successfully fought with the fickle studio on the cast he wanted, managing to get Miles Teller in the role of Reed Richards. However, Fox still wanted bigger names and imposed their will even on that decision, which reportedly caused Trank to react negatively....
"Fox executives desperately wanted to reboot Fantastic Four after the indifferently received big screen versions in 2005 and 2007, but they also bristled at many of the traditional comic book elements that defined the characters."
"There was uncertainty about who should star. Michael B. Jordan as Johnny Storm was set from the start, but the studio wanted a different actor than Miles Teller for Reed Richards. Trank won that battle, even though he later developed a mutually disdainful relationship with the actor – but Fox insisted that Kate Mara be given the role of Sue Storm, and Trank treated her badly as a result. Some say he was cruel, others say merely cold. No one says they got along."
And all of that building negativity had the expected impact, with Trank's abrasive personality clashing with a studio that didn't seem to know what it expected from him...
"Different sources say Trank was indecisive, others say the studio was hemming and hawing on his choices. Either way, the script was not finalized until late in preproduction, and continued to change right through reshoots, which stalled crew workers who were trying to build sets, make costumes, props, and prep the movie. This created confusion and stress from the get-go that often boiled over among department heads trying to put together pieces of a movie that was still in flux."
Fox's relationship with Trank is likely over for a very long time, but the studio still faces questions about the franchise's future. A sequel has already been set for June 2017, but that definitely seems premature at this stage. The chances are slim they'll pull a Sony and offer a deal with Marvel to share the film rights. There's a better chance they'll look for any excuse to push ahead on a sequel, perhaps by taking into account the international box office which could be the film's saving grace.
