Latest news with #WandaVision
Hindustan Times
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Matt Shakman on ‘Fantastic Four': They do amazing things but also do dishes, argue, and love each other
Mumbai, Fantastic Four is a team of superpowered individuals but at their core, they are a family with all their emotional messiness and humour and this is what filmmaker Matt Shakman wanted to capture with Marvel Studios' "Fantastic Four: First Steps". Matt Shakman on 'Fantastic Four': They do amazing things but also do dishes, argue, and love each other Shakman said when comic book legends Jack Kirby and Stan Lee created the team of superheroes in the 1960s, it was considered a bold move that made the characters instantly relatable and popular. "It was a bold and innovative idea in the early 60s... to base a superhero team around a real family. Marvel was struggling as a comic book company in the 60s until Kirby and Lee created the 'Fantastic Four', and they became an overnight sensation, and part of it is because they're so relatable. "They are very charming in that they are a real family with all that messiness and all that heart and humour, and that's what makes them special. We can see ourselves in them, and they do spectacular, amazing things, but also have to do the dishes, argue, love each other, give each other grief and make fun of each other. And that's part of their charm," the filmmaker told PTI in an interview. Shakman's film, which is set for worldwide release on Friday, stars Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards, also known as the stretchy Mr Fantastic; Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm-Richards, the Invisible Woman; Joseph Quinn as the fiery Johnny Storm aka the Human Torch; and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as the rock-skinned powerhouse Ben Grimm, also called The Thing. When the new movie was first announced by Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige at the San Diego Comic-Con in July 2019, Shakman said he was curious to know about the cast as well as the director who will be tackling the project. At the time, the studio had entrusted him with the job of directing "WandaVision", the television series about the popular Marvel Cinematic Universe characters Wanda Maximoff and Vision. "Before I was directing this movie, I was excited about, 'Oh, who are they going to cast to play these characters?' When they announced the movie at Comic-Con in 2019, I was there with 'WandaVision' and Kevin got up on stage and said, 'Oh, we're going to do Fantastic Four'. "I thought, 'Oh my gosh, I wonder who's going to direct that?' So, here I am years later, and it's a pinch-me moment to be here directing these characters and bringing them to the MCU. It's a huge honour," Shakman said. "Fantastic Four: First Steps" marks the fourth attempt to bring Marvel's first family to the big screen, following a shelved 1994 film, a two-part movie series starring Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, and Michael Chiklis, and a 2015 reboot by Josh Trank that was widely panned and failed to connect with Marvel fans. When asked if the franchise's rocky history added pressure, Shakman said he focused on honouring the original vision of Lee and Kirby. "I was thinking mostly about these comics that I've loved since I was a kid. I've been a 'Fantastic Four' fan since I was a kid and the pressure I felt was to do right by these amazing characters, to do right by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee who created them, they've been around for 60 plus years, and they've been reinvented decade by decade by different comic book artists, and sometimes by filmmakers. "And I think the best thing we can do is to try to find a personal connection to the material. And that's what so many of the comic book artists have done, it's what I've tried to do as a filmmaker, which is to see myself reflected in them... as a husband, as a father in them, and so I just tried to make it as personal as possible." Set in a sleek 1960s-inspired retro-futuristic world, the movie follows the Fantastic Four as they try to thwart the planet-devouring threat of Galactus. It also stars Julia Garner as Shalla-Bal aka Silver Surfer. Shakman believes a director should be personally invested in the story they're telling and if they are not, they may not be the right person for the job. "I think it's really important to be as passionate about the material as possible, and if you aren't, then you probably shouldn't be doing it; you should be connecting to the stories that you're telling and making them very personal and very specific and wanting to bring them to life in the best possible way." Shakman said he was first a fan of Spider-Man and through that character, he found the Fantastic Four. "Spider-Man is friends with the Human Torch and so I love these characters. I love the interconnected world, and I'm thrilled to be working on these movies," he added. 'Fantastic Four: First Steps', written by Josh Friedman, Eric Pearson, Jeff Kaplan, and Ian Springer, will be released in Indian theatres in four languages English, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
WandaVision Director Comments on Scarlet Witch's Potential MCU Return
WandaVision director Matt Shakman has finally addressed the possibility of the Scarlet Witch's potential return in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. For his work on the acclaimed Disney+ series, Shakman received two Emmy nominations including Outstanding Directing and Outstading Limited or Anthology Series. This comes after over three years since Elizabeth Olsen's fan-favorite character seemingly died at the end of Sam Raimi's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Since then, Marvel Studios has been silent about their future plans for the Scarlet Witch, leading fans to think that Wanda Maximoff might be really gone from the MCU. WandaVision director teases Scarlet Witch's potential return During a recent interview with ScreenRant, when asked if he believes that Olsen's Scarlet Witch is really dead, Shakman gave a hopeful response by revealing that 'Wanda's never gone.' This seemingly hints at the possibility of the complex character's return in future MCU projects. In addition, Shakman also shared the similarities between his experiences working on WandaVision and directing Marvel Studios' upcoming The Fantastic Four: First Steps. He explained that he was able to experiment in both projects' style and tone, which was something he loved as a filmmaker. 'They're both so joyful. I think of these two as the highlights of my directing career,' he revealed. 'Working on WandaVision was amazing. That world, the cast is incredible. Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Kathryn Hahn, (everybody). We had so much fun, and it was very specific, and we had a lot of rehearsal before we started, because I wanted everybody to understand the sitcom realities and tone and style that we were in.' Disney+ Has the Best Bundle in the Business Sign-up today for access to Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ Learn More Sign-ups support Superhero Hypevia affiliate commission Shakman continued, 'It was similar here (The Fantastic Four: First Steps). We had three weeks of rehearsal before we started shooting, because we were building a very specific world. We had to build a family that felt lived in, that felt real, and we had to build this '60s world that had a coherence to it in terms of aesthetics, but also style, tone, and how you approach the movie. So, both of them were stylistic and tonal experiments, which I love doing as a filmmaker. (They're) very different, but [there were] some lessons learned between the two.' (Source: ScreenRant) Solve the daily Crossword
Geek Tyrant
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
Kevin Feige Confirms Sacha Baron Cohen's Mephisto Has a Big Future in the MCU — GeekTyrant
Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige has officially confirmed what many fans have been hoping for, Sacha Baron Cohen's Mephisto isn't a one-and-done villain. After making his debut in Ironheart , the iconic Marvel Comics character is here to stay. At a recent press event attended by GamesRadar+, Feige set the record straight on a long-standing fan theory that Mephisto was meant to appear in WandaVision . "He was never part of WandaVision. We've talked about that. Matt's talked about that. Jack Schaefer's talk about that. He was never part of WandaVision. But the enthusiasm with which he was theorised on that was certainly cool and fun to watch. ' And he's another character that, pre-MCU, would have been hard to do. He's a devil. How do you do that character? But he's a formative character. He was a big part of Thanos' storyline in the comics. So again, now that he's here, the potential is clear." When pressed on whether Marvel plans to feature more of Mephisto going forward, Feige kept it short and sweet: "Yes." First appearing in The Silver Surfer #3 back in 1968, Mephisto has always been one of Marvel's most sinister villains. Originally a nemesis for Silver Surfer and Ghost Rider, he later tangled with Spider-Man and even played a major role in Vision and Scarlet Witch's comic storylines. That history is why so many fans were convinced he had something to do with WandaVision , but we now know that was never the case. Instead, Mephisto finally made his MCU debut in Ironheart , with Cohen stepping into the role in the series' finale. The storyline saw Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) strike a deal with the devil himself, a move that sets up some fascinating possibilities for the future. Interestingly, Thorne admitted she didn't even know Cohen's character while filming, suggesting Marvel wanted to keep the reveal under wraps. With Ironheart closing out Phase 5 and The Fantastic Four: First Steps set to launch Phase 6, the MCU is entering a new era, and Mephisto could play a major role in shaping it. But, we'll just ahve to wait and see. Now that Mephisto is officially part of the MCU, the door is wide open for him to stir up chaos across multiple storylines.
Forbes
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
The ‘Fantastic Four' Rotten Tomatoes Score Is Genuinely Fantastic
Fantastic Four Marvel has a lot riding on the success of Fantastic Four, not only bringing the iconic heroes to life after middling-to-awful attempts pre-MCU, but having them be a key face of the next Avengers movie, Doomsday. It turns out their faith in the cast and WandaVision director Matt Shakman was well-placed. The review embargo for Fantastic Four has lifted, with the movie out for the rest of us on Friday, July 25, and the critic scores are mostly glowing. Though more reviews are filtering in over time, as I write this, Fantastic Four has an 88% on Rotten Tomatoes. Here's how that stacks up to the other post-Endgame films in this era, where, as you can see, it compares favorably. That does not put it inside the top 10 in the MCU, but critics have been, on average, harsher on MCU films compared to audiences since Endgame, which can be seen in the data. That score ties it with the very good, though underwatched, Thunderbolts, from just a few months back, which is interesting to see. It also means that the tie is for the fourth best-scored MCU film since Avengers: Endgame in 2019, with this often being a bit of a tough era. Though two of the others were huge Spider-Man films, to be fair. Notably, this is also a bit higher than DCU's popular Superman film that just released, which scored an 83% (though it has a stellar 92% audience score). Fantastic Four Fantastic Four is an out-there move for the MCU, making a '60s-era movie set in a completely different universe from the main MCU Earth, disconnected from the rest of it until, of course, it won't be. It's no spoiler to say that the First Family will soon head over to the rest of the MCU, and we already know they will join the likes of Thor, Captain America, the Thunderbolts and the old FOX X-Men for Avengers: Doomsday. What do critics like? The term 'a breath of fresh air' for the MCU comes up a lot in these reviews, and praise for the cast and some individual members. Vanessa Kirby's Sue Storm, often perhaps an overlooked member of the team, is supposed to be a real standout. So, what will audiences think? Those scores will start coming in Thursday or Friday, and if once again the movie mirrors Thunderbolts, they should be stellar. Follow me on Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram. Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.
USA Today
a day ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
'Fantastic Four' review: 'First Steps' makes Marvel groovy again
It's clobberin' time again for yet another Fantastic Four movie, though this time it's actually a good Thing. After two mediocre 2000s film featuring Marvel's legendary superhero family, and an atrocious third outing in 2015, the foursome makes its Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in a combo sci-fi/disaster flick full of retrofuturistic 1960s flavor. Directed by Matt Shakman ('WandaVision') and featuring a top-notch cast, 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' (★★★ out of four; rated PG-13; in theaters July 25) falls victim to the genre's pitfalls but gets a boost from highly accessible world building and magnetic characters. Another point in its favor: It's the most welcoming Marvel movie in ages, with no previous history or homework required. And like DC's 'Superman,' a spiritual cinematic sibling in a number of ways, 'First Steps' focuses on telling a compelling tale rather than just another origin story. Join our Watch Party! Sign up to receive USA TODAY's movie and TV recommendations right in your inbox It's been four years since a quartet of astronauts went to space, were bombarded with cosmic rays and came back with superpowers, and now they're New York City celebrities. But the Fantastic Four are more interesting than their powers. Big brain Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal) is Mr. Fantastic when it comes to inventing technology and extending his limbs but is kind of a mess otherwise, stretching himself thin with the important stuff in life. His wife, Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), can turn herself invisible, yet she's the one people look to for sage guidance and leadership. Her little brother Johnny (Joseph Quinn) can become a human torch, though the hotheaded heartthrob is underestimated. And Reed's best friend Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) is a rock monster who walks the streets of his old Yancy Street neighborhood, holding some nostalgia for the days before he became known as the Thing. (Just don't ask him to spout his cartoon catchphrase, 'It's clobberin' time!') A healthy amount of screen time at the beginning focuses on fleshing out the Four in their groovy alternate '60s landscape, with odes to the real-life space race and mass media of the time. There's enough of a narrative here that you don't really miss the inevitable existential threat bound to come in every Marvel movie. Instead, let's watch more of the Thing cooking with the Fantastic Four's faithful robot H.E.R.B.I.E.! Who plays the Silver Surfer in new 'Fantastic Four' movie? Almost as soon as Sue hits them with the good news that she's pregnant, a mysterious chrome figure on a sweet surfboard shows up in Times Square. This Silver Surfer, Shalla-Bal (Julia Garner), announces to the Fantastic Four that Earth is 'marked for death' and will soon be visited by her boss Galactus (Ralph Ineson), an ancient cosmic being who devours entire planets. Reed and Co. go to space – where Sue gives birth to baby Franklin in a rather wild zero-gravity sequence – and attempt to negotiate with Galactus. The big guy with the 'eternal hunger' will spare Earth if he can have the child. Reed and Sue, of course, refuse, so the Fantastic Four try to rally humanity and get ready for Galactus to stomp around Manhattan, Godzilla style. While the ubiquitous Marvel computer-generated imagery throwdown finale has a few wonky spots, the movie does wonders bringing certain characters to stunning life using visual effects. The Silver Surfer has long been one of the coolest characters in comic books, and Garner's Shalla-Bal doesn't disappoint – equally ace at surfing lava or neutron stars, she's one of the most jaw-dropping figures Marvel has ever put on screen. The movie also does well crafting the awesome Galactus, especially on that grand of a scale, and the Thing is a big-hearted delight. The same depth of personality Moss-Bachrach brings to his fan-favorite role in 'The Bear' is evident here, belying the Thing's rocky exterior. But all four main players nicely inhabit these superheroes that have been around in comics since 1961 – Kirby especially shines in grounding a fantastical narrative in heartfelt emotion. It's a 'Fantastic Four' movie that finally gets its heroes right, after so many tries. So much so that the biggest gripe about 'First Steps' is it doesn't spend enough time with them and their immersive world before space villains pop up to dole out impossible choices and major property damage. Then again, that's what a sequel's for – with extra clobberin', too, please. When does 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' come out? How to watch Marvel's "The Fantastic Four: First Steps," starring Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby, is in theaters July 25. It's rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association "for action/violence and some language."
