While it may not have the same power as before, Marvel still has a hero that keeps us waiting for a big hit as it prepares to hit theaters. This time, it's the family-oriented 'Fantastic Four.'
On the 16th, a footage screening of the movie 'Fantastic Four: A New Beginning' (directed by Matt Shakman, hereafter 'Fantastic Four') was held at Megabox COEX in Seoul.
'Fantastic Four' is an action blockbuster depicting the massive events that unfold as four astronauts, who gain unexpected powers and become superheroes, come together to protect the world from the destructive villain Galactus, who devours planets. It is Marvel's first superhero team and is centered around the theme of family.
The footage showcased how the 'Fantastic Four' gained their powers and became heroes, as well as the appearance of the villain Galactus's herald, Silver Surfer, sparking curiosity.
While it's impossible to judge everything from a 30-minute video, the family hero vibe felt quite good. The gathering of hot Hollywood actors caught attention. Pedro Pascal from 'Game of Thrones', 'Narcos', and 'The Mandalorian', Vanessa Kirby from the 'Mission: Impossible' series and 'The Crown', Joseph Quinn from 'Game of Thrones', and Ayo Edebiri from 'The Bear' series created a different atmosphere compared to existing Marvel heroes.
Above all, the unique visuals born from a retro-futuristic style set in 1960s New York, infused with futuristic elements, added visual enjoyment and piqued interest.
The reactions from the earlier overseas footage screening were also quite positive. Audiences responded with comments like "It's amazing!" (Lucas An**), "The real deal has arrived!" (Yuvraj Ra**), "This is insane!" (Red Fe**), "It's going to crush the box office" (Elliott Bu**), "A perfect 'Fantastic Four'" (Striker Ar**), "It truly captures the retro style of the original" (Striker Ar**), "It presents a new path for storytelling and style" (Quarteto Fa**), among other enthusiastic reactions.
However, it's important not to have overly high expectations. Marvel movies have shown powerful box office performance to the extent of being called 'Marvel Nation' for a while. However, since the Avengers left and the 'Multiverse Saga' began, they have struggled to maintain that power.
As the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) expands, a barrier to entry has emerged among the vast stories and characters, and fans have also experienced increased pressure and fatigue. The growing number of works that need to be followed across Disney+ series and movies cannot be overlooked.
In fact, aside from a few successful films like 'Spider-Man: No Way Home' (7.55 million viewers) and 'Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3' (4.2 million viewers), the recent performance of Marvel movies has been somewhat bleak. Just looking at the audience numbers for 'Thor: Love and Thunder' (2.71 million), 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' (2.1 million), 'Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania' (1.55 million), and 'The Marvels' (690,000) shows this.
The situation for 'Captain America: Brave New World', which was released in February, was similar. Although it told the story of Sam Wilson, the former Falcon, becoming the new Captain America, it received a disappointing score of 1.65 million viewers. 'Thunderbolts', featuring Marvel's quirky characters like former spies, assassins, and hitmen, also met audiences in April but garnered a disappointing 920,000 viewers.
The high ticket prices and the rise of OTT as a strong competitor have contributed to theaters not performing as powerfully as before, but the general consensus is that Marvel's own strength is not what it used to be. The fact that 'Fantastic Four' has not performed well in previous films is also a cause for concern. Nevertheless, the anticipation for Marvel movies remains strong.
In particular, this film is directed by Matt Shakman, who successfully directed the Disney+ series 'WandaVision', raising expectations. While it has a different atmosphere from 'WandaVision', 'Fantastic Four' also shares the common theme of family and a retro vibe.
Previously, director Matt Shakman expressed confidence, stating, "We created our own universe. I love the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but through this work, we were able to achieve something new and different." It remains to be seen whether 'Fantastic Four' will become the hope for Marvel, which has been struggling with box office performance, and whether it will showcase hero power in theaters this summer.
'Fantastic Four' is set to be released in theaters on the 24th.
[Yang So-young, Star Today Reporter]
