Latest news with #F4
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Original ‘Fantastic Four' Star Michael Chiklis Wishes Marvel's New Cast the ‘Best of Luck and Success': ‘I Admire These Actors'
Original 'Fantastic Four' star Michael Chiklis is sending well wishes to the team behind Marvel's upcoming reboot. In a post on X Monday, Chiklis, who played The Thing in 2005's 'Fantastic Four,' sent his best regards to the cast and crew of 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps.' More from Variety 'Avatar: Fire and Ash' Trailer to Screen Exclusively in Theaters Before 'Fantastic Four' 'Fantastic Four' First Reactions Say Film Is One of the 'Best Things Marvel Has Ever Made' With 'Stunning Visuals' and 'Excellent' Performances From Leading Cast John Malkovich's Red Ghost Cut From 'Fantastic Four'; Director Says 'It Was Heartbreaking Not to Include Him' (EXCLUSIVE) 'I want to thank everyone for all the 'Fantastic Four' love this last couple of months during the run up to the new 'F4' flick,' Chiklis wrote. 'Speaking of which, I want to wish the cast and crew of 'First Steps' the best of luck and success. I admire these actors and look forward to seeing them take on these iconic roles. #F4Forever #TheThing.' Chiklis starred in the Marvel blockbuster alongside Ioan Gruffudd ( Jessica Alba (Invisible Woman), Chris Evans (Human Torch) and Julian McMahon (Dr. Doom). Tim Story directed the film, which went on to gross over $330 million at the worldwide box office. 'First Steps' stars Pedro Pascal as Mr. Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn as Human Torch and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as The Thing. The film follows Marvel's First Family as they defend Earth from the gargantuan planet-eating alien Galactus. Matt Shakman directs with a script by Josh Friedman, Eric Pearson and Jeff Kaplan. Variety exclusively reported on Wednesday that John Malkovich was set to appear in 'First Steps' as villain Red Ghost, but was cut from the final edit. Shakman said it was 'heartbreaking not to include him in the final version of the movie.' 'There were a lot of things that ultimately ended up hitting the cutting room floor,' Shakman said. 'When we were building a '60s retro-future world, introducing all of these villains, introducing these four main characters as a group, as well as individually, introducing the idea of a child — there was a lot of stuff to balance in this movie and some things had to go ultimately in terms of shaping the film for its final version.' Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? Final Emmy Predictions: Talk Series and Scripted Variety - New Blood Looks to Tackle Late Night Staples Solve the daily Crossword
Herald Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Herald Sun
Fantastic Four: Marvel's stunning First Steps puts A-list cast of Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby to good use
Don't miss out on the headlines from Movies. Followed categories will be added to My News. With the best-looking superhero movie ever made, a tired reboot and a challenging comedy, it's a mixed bag at the movies this week. THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS (PG) Director: Matt Shakman (feature debut) Starring: Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Joseph Quinn, Julia Garner. ***1/2 Barely a stumble, and always looking the goods First, the very, very good news about The Fantastic Four: First Steps. It is the second superhero movie in a row to flat-out not suck. That is quite an achievement when we remember there has been three truly terrible Fantastic Four flicks over the past two decades. Let's move on to some very good news. First Steps could well be the best-looking superhero movie ever made. The production design is a triumph of inspired aesthetics, conjuring a retro-futuristic world that is believably unbelievable. The planet Earth that the F4 team are required to save seems to have hit the pause button in 1964. The fashion, the architecture, the furniture and the innocent optimism of the era are displayed both precisely and pleasurably. Joseph Quinn, Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby and Ebon Moss-Bachrach at The Fantastic Four: First Steps premiere in Los Angeles. Picture: Getty Images Chilean-US actor Pedro Pascal leads a stellar cast. Picture: AFP And yet, the technology that underpins every aspect of life on this version of Earth is from the year 3064. Yes, that was a flying car whooshing by, complete with chrome tailfins and a vintage Chevy front grill. Now for some merely good news regarding First Steps. While it never quite matches the new Superman in terms of telling a compelling story or generating euphoric levels of excitement, it is still an entertaining and enjoyable screen experience from start to finish. The key here is that Marvel have ditched the usual entry-level requirements of prior knowledge and considerable patience for viewers (demands that have ruined much of the studio's recent output). You can safely show up to First Steps completely unaware of the F4 origin story, as a niftily succinct montage early in the movie will set you straight inside three minutes. The team sheet for the Fantastic Four is comprised of a quartet of ex-astronauts accidentally exposed to high levels of cosmic radiation during their final mission. The ordeal blessed them with a varied suite of superpowers. Though Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal) is the brains of the F4 outfit, he is also famous for a body that can stretch and bend like a high-tensile rubber band. Vanessa Kirby. Picture: Getty Images Reed's wife Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby) can turn invisible and emit giant force fields of energy at will. Her brother Johnny (Joseph Quinn) is adored by the general public in his guise as the flying fireball known as the Human Torch. Then there is their good friend Ben Grimm, aka The Thing. He is the strongman of the unit, a rock-encrusted cousin of the Hulk, whose favourite time on the clock is 'clobberin' time.' The F4's chief assignment in First Steps is to prevent Earth being swallowed whole by a gargantuan Thanos-on-steroids named Galactus. To be honest, the plot surrounding how our heroes will thwart Galactus and his heavy-metal henchwoman the Silver Surfer (Julia Garner) is charged with a silliness that never quite earns our respect or awe. Thankfully, the warm and inviting chemistry shared by the A-list cast stops any possible descent into B-movie blandness for First Steps. And when all else fails, there is all that astonishingly attractive imagery to gawk at. The Fantastic Four: First Steps is in cinemas now. Sarah Pidgeon, Madelyn Cline, centre, and Chase Sui Wonders, right, in I Know What You Did Last Summer. I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER (MA15+) ** General release. We all know what Hollywood did late last century, because they keep recycling horror hits from yesterday like there is no tomorrow. For this tepid update of a so-so slasher flick from the '90s, the formula remains exactly the same as before. A quartet of semi-annoying, totally clueless young friends mistakenly assume they have successfully covered up their involvement in a coastal car accident a year prior. Now they're all getting threatening notes from an unknown entity inferring their shared secret will soon be a shared death sentence. Eventually, a mysterious rain-slickered psychopath will start checking off names on his personal to-die list in tired, predictable and curiously unscary fashion. A few casting cameos from the original might tweak a nostalgic pang or two, but there's no crime in waiting for this sluggish effort to show up on home streaming. Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd in Friendship. FRIENDSHIP (M) ***1/2 General release. This decidedly unorthodox affair gets a welcome run in cinemas on the strength of its casting of former Saturday Night Live regular Tim Robinson in a leading role. Via his acclaimed Netflix series I Think You Should Leave, Robinson has proven himself to be one of the most daring figures remaining on a diminished American comedy scene. Some familiarity with Robinson's often-surreal brand of humour will come in useful here. Robinson plays Craig, a regular suburban dad who slowly, but surely loses his mind after misinterpreting a polite gesture of thanks from a new arrival in his neighbourhood, Austin (Ant-Man's Paul Rudd). With Craig mistakenly assuming he and Austin are best buds, he fails to notice his marriage, job and grasp of reality are slipping away rapidly. Though not without its share of laugh-out-loud moments, this is actually a poignant and disarming portrait of male loneliness in the modern age. Strong, striking and unique stuff, even if not for all tastes. Originally published as Pedro Pascal leads 'best-looking' A-list Fantastic Four reboot
Malay Mail
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
Ken Chu gets candid about F4 reunion, Barbie Hsu's death and selling her ex's products
TAIPEI, July 19 — Taiwanese singer-actor Ken Chu has spoken out after facing backlash for promoting products linked to Wang Xiaofei, the ex-husband of the late actress Barbie Hsu. The 46-year-old, who rose to fame as a member of the iconic boy band F4, addressed the criticism during a Douyin livestream on Wednesday. He also reflected on his recent reunion with his bandmates — Jerry Yan, Vic Chou and Vanness Wu — during Mayday's concert on July 12, as well as his deep affection for Hsu, their Meteor Garden co-star who died earlier this year. Hsu, who played female lead Shan Cai in the 2001 drama that catapulted F4 to stardom, died on February 2 at age 48. According to AsiaOne, Chu became visibly emotional while discussing her, pausing to collect himself before saying: 'She was in the lives of the four of us, right? Everyone talks about the wheel of fate. I believe that among the four of us, we each had our own methods of loving her when we were younger.' Chu revealed he had hesitated to take part in the reunion due to his declining health, admitting, 'I age 1.5 times faster than a normal person.' He added that if he didn't join the band within the year or next, he might not be able to keep up physically. Still, it was his enduring gratitude for F4 and his affection for Hsu that ultimately convinced him: 'It's because of the love and passion I received over the years, and because of Barbie.' The livestream also saw Chu address criticism over his decision to sell Ma Liu Ji instant hot and sour noodle soup — a food brand owned by Wang Xiaofei and his mother Zhang Lan — during his online sales shows. Online users had questioned his support for the brand, given the legal disputes between Wang and Hsu before her death. But Chu was unbothered. 'Why can't I sell it?' he said bluntly. 'To be honest, I really hope Wang Xiaofei earns a lot of money, if not, who would take care of his two children?' Hsu and Wang, who divorced in 2021, shared two children, Hsi-yueh, 11, and Hsi-lin, nine. In the years leading up to the actress' passing, the former couple were embroiled in several lawsuits, including allegations of defamation and breaches of privacy. Chu had briefly addressed his position in 2023, saying during another livestream: 'I think it's quite awkward to say this... but my liking for this brand has no relation to any trending news. I just feel that this brand is honest in their products, taste well and I wanted to recommend it to everyone.'
Malay Mail
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
Ken Chu gets candid on F4 reunion, Barbie Hsu's death and selling her ex's products
TAIPEI, July 19 — Taiwanese singer-actor Ken Chu has spoken out after facing backlash for promoting products linked to Wang Xiaofei, the ex-husband of the late actress Barbie Hsu. The 46-year-old, who rose to fame as a member of the iconic boy band F4, addressed the criticism during a Douyin livestream on Wednesday. He also reflected on his recent reunion with his bandmates — Jerry Yan, Vic Chou and Vanness Wu — during Mayday's concert on July 12, as well as his deep affection for Hsu, their Meteor Garden co-star who died earlier this year. Hsu, who played female lead Shan Cai in the 2001 drama that catapulted F4 to stardom, died on February 2 at age 48. According to AsiaOne, Chu became visibly emotional while discussing her, pausing to collect himself before saying: 'She was in the lives of the four of us, right? Everyone talks about the wheel of fate. I believe that among the four of us, we each had our own methods of loving her when we were younger.' Chu revealed he had hesitated to take part in the reunion due to his declining health, admitting, 'I age 1.5 times faster than a normal person.' He added that if he didn't join the band within the year or next, he might not be able to keep up physically. Still, it was his enduring gratitude for F4 and his affection for Hsu that ultimately convinced him: 'It's because of the love and passion I received over the years, and because of Barbie.' The livestream also saw Chu address criticism over his decision to sell Ma Liu Ji instant hot and sour noodle soup — a food brand owned by Wang Xiaofei and his mother Zhang Lan — during his online sales shows. Online users had questioned his support for the brand, given the legal disputes between Wang and Hsu before her death. But Chu was unbothered. 'Why can't I sell it?' he said bluntly. 'To be honest, I really hope Wang Xiaofei earns a lot of money, if not, who would take care of his two children?' Hsu and Wang, who divorced in 2021, shared two children, Hsi-yueh, 11, and Hsi-lin, nine. In the years leading up to the actress' passing, the former couple were embroiled in several lawsuits, including allegations of defamation and breaches of privacy. Chu had briefly addressed his position in 2023, saying during another livestream: 'I think it's quite awkward to say this... but my liking for this brand has no relation to any trending news. I just feel that this brand is honest in their products, taste well and I wanted to recommend it to everyone.'
The Star
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Star
Why Ken Chu from F4 is selling products by Barbie Hsu's ex-husband Wang Xiaofei
Ken Chu (left) was criticised for selling Wang Xiaofei's products during his live-stream sales. Barbie Hsu and Wang Xiaofei divorced in November 2021. Photos: Ken Chu/Douyin, Barbie Hsu/Weibo Taiwanese singer-actor Ken Chu has defended his decision to sell products made by the company of Chinese businessman Wang Xiaofei, the former husband of late Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu. Chu, 46, was a member of Taiwanese boy band F4, which also comprise Jerry Yan, 48; Vic Chou, 43; and Van Ness Wu, 46. The quartet reunited for a surprise performance at Taiwanese pop-rock band Mayday's concert at the Taipei Dome on July 12. F4 were brought together as a boy band in 2001 after acting in Taiwanese idol drama Meteor Garden (2001), which also starred Hsu. The band members went their separate ways in 2009. Hsu, who died aged 48 in February, divorced Wang, 44, in November 2021 after 11 years of marriage. They have an 11-year-old daughter and a nine-year-old son. The former couple were then embroiled in a divorce battle and war of words on social media. Chu, who is now focusing on live-stream sales on Douyin, was criticised by netizens on July 16 after he continued to hawk hot and sour vermicelli from Chinese food brand Maliuji. This is a company under Wang and his mother Zhang Lan. 'Why can't I sell that?' Chu replied. 'To be honest, I really hope Wang Xiaofei makes a lot of money. Otherwise, who will take care of his two children?' The artiste also mentioned Hsu, better known as Big S, in his live stream. 'She was the girl who was involved in the lives of the four of us,' he said, referring to the F4 members. 'I think all four of us loved her in our own way when we were younger.' Chu also disclosed that he was initially not keen on the F4 reunion on July 12, which was facilitated by Mayday's agency B'in Music. 'I asked their manager why they were so persistent on the reunion,' Chu said. 'She relayed (Mayday frontman) Ashin's words to me: 'Ashin feels that all the good things from the days when we were younger are slowly disappearing, and he wants to gather them back together, including F4.'' Chu admitted that it was not easy for him to return to the stage. 'I'm not as physically fit as I used to be,' he said. 'If you watch the video, you can see that I look a little older than the three of them.' Chu said that although he is 46, his physical condition is like that of a 60-year-old's. He suffers from fibromyalgia, a condition that can lead to lasting muscle pain and fatigue. 'Compared with the three of them, I'll be more out of shape if we don't reunite this year or next year,' he said. 'So I'm working hard on it.' – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
