Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four (2015) Film Versus the Comics
The comic book and superhero movie genre has exploded in the last decade. Now, it seems like every other movie released in theaters is based on a graphic novel or comic. Creating successful comic book films is tricky though. The area has a strong base of fans that know and are at times, enraged when an adaptation doesn’t reflect its comic book origins.
The latest film reboot of Fantastic Four decided to create a different story that had very little basis in the original comic books. Here are some of the key differences between the film and the comics.
The Origin Story
Every superhero and team have an origin story. In the comic book world, it is one of the most pivotal and important parts of a series. Filmmakers decided to deviate from the 1960 origin story, in which the team acquire their powers after a mission to space and exposure to cosmic rays. Instead, the team acquire their powers after teleporting to another dimension called Planet Zero.
At first it would seem like the filmmakers created an entirely new origin. However, the story is actually based on a Fantastic Four comic book series━one that many people might not recognize━Ultimate Fantastic Four. In it, the superheroes are teleported but to different parts on Earth, and the teleportation gives them their powers.
Characters
There are a number of differences between the comic book and film versions of the superhero team’s nemesis, Doctor Doom For one, he goes by just Doom in the movie. Plus, his real name has been changed from Victor von Doom to Victor Domashev. Doom transforms into a being of mostly metal and energy after being left behind in the alternate dimension. In the comics, he is one of the most well-known, powerful and feared villains in the Marvel universe. However, his representation in the film seems a bit weak and underdeveloped.
In addition to the character changes of Doctor Doom, the casting of Michael B. Jordan as Johnny Torch caused a bit of controversy amongst some comic book fans. The Human Torch is known for having blonde hair, fair skin and blue eyes, so when it was announced that the African-American actor would take on the role, many voiced their disapproval on the Internet. Stan Lee, the legendary writer and Fantastic Four co-creator, publicly gave his approval for the casting choice, but some fans were still unsettled about the choice.
Age
In most of the Fantastic Four books, the team is older than they are in the film. When they acquire their powers, they are around 20 to 30 years old. Sue Storm, the Invisible Woman, was also depicted as several years younger than Reed. The whole team seems to be near the same age in the movie. In the film, they are closer to the age of teenagers that are starting college. However, again the film reflects the Ultimate Fantastic Four series rather than the older version.
Basing a film adaptation exactly on its source material doesn’t necessarily mean success. The 2005 film derived much from the books but still fell flat with audiences. However, changing the source material to the point that it is unrelatable is a fatal mistake. In the end, the reboot varied so much from the comic books that it seemed to fit into the science fiction genre rather than superhero.
