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How To Build Fox's Shared Marvel Universe: How can Fox best exploit its two remaining Marvel properties?
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TMC
Oct 8, 2012, 4:26:10 AM10/8/12
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http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/10/02/how-to-build-foxs-shared-marvel-universe
by Jesse Schedeen OCTOBER 2, 2012
One reason Marvel Studios' superhero movies are so enjoyable is the
shared “Marvel Cinematic Universe” they've been building since the
original Iron Man. Just as in the comics, the movies offer a world
where multiple heroes coexist and interact (either to punch each other
in the face or chow down on shawarma). Fox clearly wants to get in on
that action too. Last week we learned that comics scribe Mark Millar
has been brought on board as a creative consultant for Fox as it
expands its X-Men franchise and works to reboot Fantastic Four. The
goal is to develop a similar sort of shared superhero film universe.
The problem is that Fox doesn't have access to the wealth of
characters Marvel Studios does. The X-Men and FF franchises may exist
in the same comic book universe, but they don't intermingle nearly as
often as, say, Iron Man and Captain America. But that doesn't mean Fox
can't take advantage of the opportunity. We've come up with a few key
ways to tie the two movie franchises together.
Franklin Richards
The most obvious connection between the two franchises is Franklin
Richards. This young character is the son of Mister Fantastic and
Invisible Woman, and he also happens to be a mutant. Children are
often born as mutants because their parents were exposed to radiation.
The cosmic rays that gave the FF their powers fit that bill and then
some.
But not only is Franklin a mutant, he's one of the most powerful
characters in the Marvel Universe. He has the ability to create and
shape pocket universes essentially making him a god capable of
creating and extinguishing life on a whim. Obviously, there are people
who have a problem with that sort of power being in the hands of a
child.
That's where the X-Men come in. Professor Xavier's school is the
logical place to turn when Franklin manifests his powers. Xavier can
provide the expertise even Reed Richards can't on this particular
subject. An out-of-control Franklin is enough of a conflict in itself
to justify a crossover between the two teams. But throw an
opportunistic Doctor Doom into the mix and you've got all the makings
of a classic superhero team-up.
Franklin could easily become a recurring character in the X-Men films
by joining the X-Men outright. If the X-Men films remain largely in
the past as First Class was, the writers face a challenge in selecting
teen mutants that won't completely upset the continuity of the older
movies. Why not think outside the box? And if the X-Men movies ever
become too convoluted, Franklin will be on hand to snap his fingers
and remake reality (assuming the Days of Future Past doesn't do that
on its own).
And let's not forget that Franklin has already, in a way, been
introduced into the X-Men movie continuity. There's that scene in X2:
X-Men United when Mystique hacks into Stryker's computer and there's a
file about Franklin on his desktop.
We'd also like to see Franklin's little sister Valeria play a role in
the new franchise. During his run on Fantastic Four, Millar introduced
the idea that Valeria is already at least as intelligent as her
father, despite being a mere toddler. Whether that actually qualifies
her as a mutant is debatable, but there's still plenty of potential in
watching a four-year-old genius butt heads with hyper-intelligent,
adult characters such as Beast.
Days of Future Past
Following The Wolverine in 2013, the next ensemble X-Men movie will be
the sequel to X-Men: First Class, now carrying the subtitle Days of
Future Past. Clearly, Fox is basing the movie on the iconic Chris
Claremont/John Byrne storyline. Time travel will likely be an element
this time around, and we've heard various rumors about X-Men alumni
like Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellan, and Famke Jansen returning to
reprise their roles in the future timeline.
We've already explored how the Days of Future Past storyline might
play out on the big screen. The question now is whether the FF can be
integrated into this conflict. Again, Franklin Richards is the most
obvious connection. Franklin appeared in the dystopian, Sentinel-
dominated future as a member of the mutant resistance and a lover to
Rachel Summers. Even if it's just a small role, it might be fun to
sneak Franklin into the movie version as a nod to the shared universe.
But there are other ways to integrate the FF characters into the film.
In the comic, the consciousness of the older Kitty Pryde traded places
with her younger self in the past using Rachel Summers' psychic
powers. But if the movie calls for a more conventional, mechanical
means of time travel, the X-Men can turn to Reed Richards and his big,
stretchy brain for help. Or possibly Doctor Doom. Doom's patented time
platforms are a hot commodity in the Marvel Universe. It could be fun
to see the character play a less antagonistic role. Though not a
mutant himself, even Doom may have issues with a world controlled by
giant robots that don't answer to him.
Keeping Things Retro
X-Men: First Class found great success in turning back the clock and
focusing on the origins of the X-Men and younger versions of Xavier
and Magneto. The early '60s setting and use of historical conflicts
like the Cuban Missile Crisis lent an extra touch of charm to the
movie. We see no reason why Fox's FF reboot can't follow suit and
offer a more retro-flavored take on Marvel's First Family.
The arguments for a '60s-era Fantastic Four are numerous. For one
thing, the team's origin story doesn't function as well in
contemporary times. In Fantastic Four #1, Reed Richards gathers his
friend and trusted pilot Ben Grimm, his girlfriend Susan Storm, and
her younger brother Johnny. The four steal an experimental spacecraft
and are bombarded by cosmic rays, transforming into four elemental
heroes. The problem is that we live in age where space tourism is
rapidly becoming a reality, and Reed's risky, desperate flight no
longer makes as much sense as it did 50 years ago. The option is to
either embrace the old-school origin story or update it for the modern
age (which Millar himself did in the Ultimate Fantastic Four comic).
There's also the notion that the Fantastic Four are very much a
product of their time in general. The '60s were a time of monumental
change and, for many, a time of great optimism about the future. The
FF came onto the scene as adventurers and explorers of the unknown.
Much like the heroes of Star Trek, they chose to boldly go where no
Marvel hero had gone before. Many FF fans still consider the original
Stan Lee/Jack Kirby years the best the series has ever seen. No
creators have quite managed to match the sense of excitement and sheer
imagination at play in those 100+ issues.
So why not craft a retro-flavored FF reboot that takes place in the
1960's? As with First Class, the setting and style would help set the
movie apart from the increasingly crowded superhero movie market. But
rather than stay confined to the '60s, the FF films could also explore
the future of the characters in the present day. Just as the X-Men
franchise has Xavier's First Class group in the '60s and the classic
group in the present, the FF movies could feature the original four in
the '60s and the next generation decades down the road.
Recently, Marvel debuted a second Fantastic Four comic called FF,
which focuses on the young members of Reed's Future Foundation, a
group of genius-level children, mutants, and other creatures who learn
and work together. That concept could be adopted for the films. The
Future Foundation could be the present-day offshoot of the original
FF.
If the two franchises will co-exist going forward, then it makes sense
for both to have a flashback period set in the '60s and a contemporary
period.
Superheroes in Space
There are currently five X-Men movies, with two more in active
development. One element we've yet to see reflected in any of these
movies is the tendency of the X-Men to venture into space for some
intergalactic adventures. The franchise has a long history with space-
based conflicts, dating all the way back to The X-Men #9, where Xavier
regaled his young students with the story of how an alien named
Lucifer caused his paralysis. The trend continued through iconic
storylines like The Dark Phoenix Saga and various clashes with the
Brood and the Shi'ar Empire. But as far as the movies go, the X-Men
remain firmly earthbound.
Perhaps that can finally change now that the X-Men and Fantastic Four
movies are going to play nicely with each other. The FF certainly have
their own history of exploring the far regions of space and battling
all sorts of cosmic villains. Why not pair the two teams in an epic
cosmic conflict? That's the direction the Avengers movies seem to be
heading.
This union could have the added benefit of filling some of the holes
in the Fantastic Four universe. One of the central problems in
breaking up Marvel's characters among separate studios is that certain
franchises lose the use of certain characters. We already know that
characters like Black Panther and the Inhumans belong to Marvel
Studios, despite the fact that both debuted in the pages of Fantastic
Four.
The state of cosmic villains like Annihilus and civilizations like the
Kree and Skrulls is unclear, although Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige
said last April he believes certain characters can be used by both
Marvel and Fox. There was also a rumor that Fox was going to cede
rights to Galactus and Silver Surfer in exchange for an extension on
their Daredevil license, but that didn't pan out. The point remains
that Fox's FF universe is always going to face certain limitations in
what it can and can't use.
The X-Men's own cosmic stable can be used to bolster that of the
Fantastic Four. If the Kree or Skrulls are off limits to Fox, the
Shi'ar can serve as a perfectly decent replacement. Fox can't explore
the Inhumans themselves, but they could easily retool the concept of a
race of genetically diverse, alien outcasts to fit the X-Men world.
Assuming that the rebooted FF franchise will be tackling Galactus,
we'd love to see the full Marvel Universe come together to stop him.
In this case, "full Marvel Universe" only amounts to two teams, but
we'll take what we can get.
Yes, it's a shame we can't have one, complete cinematic universe where
all of Marvel's heroes are free to interact. That said, the X-Men and
FF franchises have a lot to offer one another, and we hope to see Fox
begin to capitalize on that potential in the next few years.
by Jesse Schedeen OCTOBER 2, 2012
One reason Marvel Studios' superhero movies are so enjoyable is the
shared “Marvel Cinematic Universe” they've been building since the
original Iron Man. Just as in the comics, the movies offer a world
where multiple heroes coexist and interact (either to punch each other
in the face or chow down on shawarma). Fox clearly wants to get in on
that action too. Last week we learned that comics scribe Mark Millar
has been brought on board as a creative consultant for Fox as it
expands its X-Men franchise and works to reboot Fantastic Four. The
goal is to develop a similar sort of shared superhero film universe.
The problem is that Fox doesn't have access to the wealth of
characters Marvel Studios does. The X-Men and FF franchises may exist
in the same comic book universe, but they don't intermingle nearly as
often as, say, Iron Man and Captain America. But that doesn't mean Fox
can't take advantage of the opportunity. We've come up with a few key
ways to tie the two movie franchises together.
Franklin Richards
The most obvious connection between the two franchises is Franklin
Richards. This young character is the son of Mister Fantastic and
Invisible Woman, and he also happens to be a mutant. Children are
often born as mutants because their parents were exposed to radiation.
The cosmic rays that gave the FF their powers fit that bill and then
some.
But not only is Franklin a mutant, he's one of the most powerful
characters in the Marvel Universe. He has the ability to create and
shape pocket universes essentially making him a god capable of
creating and extinguishing life on a whim. Obviously, there are people
who have a problem with that sort of power being in the hands of a
child.
That's where the X-Men come in. Professor Xavier's school is the
logical place to turn when Franklin manifests his powers. Xavier can
provide the expertise even Reed Richards can't on this particular
subject. An out-of-control Franklin is enough of a conflict in itself
to justify a crossover between the two teams. But throw an
opportunistic Doctor Doom into the mix and you've got all the makings
of a classic superhero team-up.
Franklin could easily become a recurring character in the X-Men films
by joining the X-Men outright. If the X-Men films remain largely in
the past as First Class was, the writers face a challenge in selecting
teen mutants that won't completely upset the continuity of the older
movies. Why not think outside the box? And if the X-Men movies ever
become too convoluted, Franklin will be on hand to snap his fingers
and remake reality (assuming the Days of Future Past doesn't do that
on its own).
And let's not forget that Franklin has already, in a way, been
introduced into the X-Men movie continuity. There's that scene in X2:
X-Men United when Mystique hacks into Stryker's computer and there's a
file about Franklin on his desktop.
We'd also like to see Franklin's little sister Valeria play a role in
the new franchise. During his run on Fantastic Four, Millar introduced
the idea that Valeria is already at least as intelligent as her
father, despite being a mere toddler. Whether that actually qualifies
her as a mutant is debatable, but there's still plenty of potential in
watching a four-year-old genius butt heads with hyper-intelligent,
adult characters such as Beast.
Days of Future Past
Following The Wolverine in 2013, the next ensemble X-Men movie will be
the sequel to X-Men: First Class, now carrying the subtitle Days of
Future Past. Clearly, Fox is basing the movie on the iconic Chris
Claremont/John Byrne storyline. Time travel will likely be an element
this time around, and we've heard various rumors about X-Men alumni
like Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellan, and Famke Jansen returning to
reprise their roles in the future timeline.
We've already explored how the Days of Future Past storyline might
play out on the big screen. The question now is whether the FF can be
integrated into this conflict. Again, Franklin Richards is the most
obvious connection. Franklin appeared in the dystopian, Sentinel-
dominated future as a member of the mutant resistance and a lover to
Rachel Summers. Even if it's just a small role, it might be fun to
sneak Franklin into the movie version as a nod to the shared universe.
But there are other ways to integrate the FF characters into the film.
In the comic, the consciousness of the older Kitty Pryde traded places
with her younger self in the past using Rachel Summers' psychic
powers. But if the movie calls for a more conventional, mechanical
means of time travel, the X-Men can turn to Reed Richards and his big,
stretchy brain for help. Or possibly Doctor Doom. Doom's patented time
platforms are a hot commodity in the Marvel Universe. It could be fun
to see the character play a less antagonistic role. Though not a
mutant himself, even Doom may have issues with a world controlled by
giant robots that don't answer to him.
Keeping Things Retro
X-Men: First Class found great success in turning back the clock and
focusing on the origins of the X-Men and younger versions of Xavier
and Magneto. The early '60s setting and use of historical conflicts
like the Cuban Missile Crisis lent an extra touch of charm to the
movie. We see no reason why Fox's FF reboot can't follow suit and
offer a more retro-flavored take on Marvel's First Family.
The arguments for a '60s-era Fantastic Four are numerous. For one
thing, the team's origin story doesn't function as well in
contemporary times. In Fantastic Four #1, Reed Richards gathers his
friend and trusted pilot Ben Grimm, his girlfriend Susan Storm, and
her younger brother Johnny. The four steal an experimental spacecraft
and are bombarded by cosmic rays, transforming into four elemental
heroes. The problem is that we live in age where space tourism is
rapidly becoming a reality, and Reed's risky, desperate flight no
longer makes as much sense as it did 50 years ago. The option is to
either embrace the old-school origin story or update it for the modern
age (which Millar himself did in the Ultimate Fantastic Four comic).
There's also the notion that the Fantastic Four are very much a
product of their time in general. The '60s were a time of monumental
change and, for many, a time of great optimism about the future. The
FF came onto the scene as adventurers and explorers of the unknown.
Much like the heroes of Star Trek, they chose to boldly go where no
Marvel hero had gone before. Many FF fans still consider the original
Stan Lee/Jack Kirby years the best the series has ever seen. No
creators have quite managed to match the sense of excitement and sheer
imagination at play in those 100+ issues.
So why not craft a retro-flavored FF reboot that takes place in the
1960's? As with First Class, the setting and style would help set the
movie apart from the increasingly crowded superhero movie market. But
rather than stay confined to the '60s, the FF films could also explore
the future of the characters in the present day. Just as the X-Men
franchise has Xavier's First Class group in the '60s and the classic
group in the present, the FF movies could feature the original four in
the '60s and the next generation decades down the road.
Recently, Marvel debuted a second Fantastic Four comic called FF,
which focuses on the young members of Reed's Future Foundation, a
group of genius-level children, mutants, and other creatures who learn
and work together. That concept could be adopted for the films. The
Future Foundation could be the present-day offshoot of the original
FF.
If the two franchises will co-exist going forward, then it makes sense
for both to have a flashback period set in the '60s and a contemporary
period.
Superheroes in Space
There are currently five X-Men movies, with two more in active
development. One element we've yet to see reflected in any of these
movies is the tendency of the X-Men to venture into space for some
intergalactic adventures. The franchise has a long history with space-
based conflicts, dating all the way back to The X-Men #9, where Xavier
regaled his young students with the story of how an alien named
Lucifer caused his paralysis. The trend continued through iconic
storylines like The Dark Phoenix Saga and various clashes with the
Brood and the Shi'ar Empire. But as far as the movies go, the X-Men
remain firmly earthbound.
Perhaps that can finally change now that the X-Men and Fantastic Four
movies are going to play nicely with each other. The FF certainly have
their own history of exploring the far regions of space and battling
all sorts of cosmic villains. Why not pair the two teams in an epic
cosmic conflict? That's the direction the Avengers movies seem to be
heading.
This union could have the added benefit of filling some of the holes
in the Fantastic Four universe. One of the central problems in
breaking up Marvel's characters among separate studios is that certain
franchises lose the use of certain characters. We already know that
characters like Black Panther and the Inhumans belong to Marvel
Studios, despite the fact that both debuted in the pages of Fantastic
Four.
The state of cosmic villains like Annihilus and civilizations like the
Kree and Skrulls is unclear, although Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige
said last April he believes certain characters can be used by both
Marvel and Fox. There was also a rumor that Fox was going to cede
rights to Galactus and Silver Surfer in exchange for an extension on
their Daredevil license, but that didn't pan out. The point remains
that Fox's FF universe is always going to face certain limitations in
what it can and can't use.
The X-Men's own cosmic stable can be used to bolster that of the
Fantastic Four. If the Kree or Skrulls are off limits to Fox, the
Shi'ar can serve as a perfectly decent replacement. Fox can't explore
the Inhumans themselves, but they could easily retool the concept of a
race of genetically diverse, alien outcasts to fit the X-Men world.
Assuming that the rebooted FF franchise will be tackling Galactus,
we'd love to see the full Marvel Universe come together to stop him.
In this case, "full Marvel Universe" only amounts to two teams, but
we'll take what we can get.
Yes, it's a shame we can't have one, complete cinematic universe where
all of Marvel's heroes are free to interact. That said, the X-Men and
FF franchises have a lot to offer one another, and we hope to see Fox
begin to capitalize on that potential in the next few years.
Mishap
Oct 9, 2012, 12:35:05 PM10/9/12
to
"TMC" <tmc...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:b1b16337-b5c2-48fb...@y8g2000yqy.googlegroups.com...
http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/10/02/how-to-build-foxs-shared-marvel-universe
> The most obvious connection between the two franchises is Franklin
> Richards.
Cinematic Universe should the rights ever revert. Sort of like Heroes
Reborn, but instead of creating a new world, he (and possibly others) can
combine two or more worlds into one.
Kenneth M. Lin
Oct 12, 2012, 11:22:58 AM10/12/12
to
"Mishap" wrote in message news:YmYcs.2061$%E4....@newsfe01.iad...
suspicious because Marvel insisted that there was Illuminati and Chuck and
Reed were in constant contact throughout the entire Marvel history.
Movie Fan
Oct 14, 2012, 4:56:23 PM10/14/12
to
On Oct 8, 4:26 am, TMC <tmc1...@gmail.com> wrote:
> http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/10/02/how-to-build-foxs-shared-marve...
There's a very easy solution to this, The Kree & The Panther
correspond mainly to the Avengers so Marvel gets them, and The Skrulls
& The Inhumans correspond mainly to the FF so Fox gets them. It's
just like trading cards. The fact that The Inhumans are descended
from The Kree is ignored, just as Black Widow is ignored as a Spider-
Man villain and a Daredevil sidekick.
Since there's talk about giving The Surfer back to Marvel and The
Avengers will, of course, quickly lose The Hulk, that could mean that
there will be a Defenders movie. However, this invokes The Curse of
Too Much Loki, since he provoked The Avengers/Defenders War.
Also, the first (real) cross-over has yet to happen, for which I
propose Spidey vs. Iron Man.
> http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/10/02/how-to-build-foxs-shared-marve...
correspond mainly to the Avengers so Marvel gets them, and The Skrulls
& The Inhumans correspond mainly to the FF so Fox gets them. It's
just like trading cards. The fact that The Inhumans are descended
from The Kree is ignored, just as Black Widow is ignored as a Spider-
Man villain and a Daredevil sidekick.
Since there's talk about giving The Surfer back to Marvel and The
Avengers will, of course, quickly lose The Hulk, that could mean that
there will be a Defenders movie. However, this invokes The Curse of
Too Much Loki, since he provoked The Avengers/Defenders War.
Also, the first (real) cross-over has yet to happen, for which I
propose Spidey vs. Iron Man.
Lilith
Oct 14, 2012, 8:48:14 PM10/14/12
to
appearance was in Iron Man. I don't recall her ever showing up in
Spider-Man unless it was as a very brief cameo.
--
Lilith
Movie Fan
Oct 15, 2012, 1:25:31 PM10/15/12
to
On Oct 14, 8:46 pm, Lilith <lilith...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Sun, 14 Oct 2012 13:56:23 -0700 (PDT), Movie Fan
>
> On Sun, 14 Oct 2012 13:56:23 -0700 (PDT), Movie Fan
>
http://www.comics.org/issue/23579/
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