Ben Rothstein/20th Century Fox/Marvel/Kobal/Shutterstock
Director Josh Trank got honest about dealing with Fantastic Four.
The 36-year-old just recently opened to Geeks of Color about his time on the movie, which struck theaters back in August 2015.
During a virtual interview, he informed the outlet that he wished to cast a Black starlet for the function of Sue Storm and declared he was met “pretty heavy pushback” from the studio—which was Fox prior to the rights went to Disney.
“There were a lot of controversial conversations that were had behind-the-scenes on that. I was mostly interested in a Black Sue Storm, a Black Johnny Storm and a Black Franklin Storm,” the director shared. “But when you’re dealing with a studio on a massive movie like that, everybody wants to keep an open mind to who the big stars are going to be.”
“When it came down to it, I found a lot of pretty heavy pushback on casting a Black woman in that role,” he mentioned.
Kate Mara played Sue Storm, Michael B. Jordan played Johnny Storm, Miles Teller played Reed Richards and Jamie Bell played Ben Grimm.
“When I look back on that, I should have just walked when that realization sort of hit me, and I feel embarrassed about that, that I didn’t just out of principle,” Trank revealed.
He included, “Because those aren’t the values I stand for in my own life. Those weren’t the values then or ever for me. Because I’m somebody who always talks about standing up for what I believe in, even if it means burning my career out.”
This isn’t the very first time Trank has actually talked about dealing with Fantastic Four. He examined his own film on Letterbxd back in November 2019.
“I was expecting it to be much worse than it was. I literally haven’t seen it since like two weeks before it came out, and I was in a heavily f–king traumatized state of mind. Why? Eh, save that for another time,” he composed. “Everyone in the movie is an excellent star, and in general there is a film therein, someplace. And that cast is worthy of to be because film. Everyone who dealt with Fant4stic plainly wished to be making THAT film. But…. eventually… It wasn’t.”
“What I can tell is there are TWO different movies in one movie competing to be that movie,” he continued. “I was 29 years old, making my 2nd film, in a situation more complicated than anything a 2nd time filmmaker should’ve walked into.”
He confessed in his evaluation that he didn’t remorse “any part of it.” As he put it, “It’s a part of me.”
E! News has actually connected to the studio for remark and has actually not heard back.
