“FANTASTIC FOUR”
Often forgotten in the excitement about Wolverine joining the Avengers is the idea that Marvel Studios will finally get a chance to play with one of the most iconic Marvel properties of all time, “Fantastic Four.” Disney has had their own success with the ‘FF’ formula in “The Incredibles” franchise, but now Feige and the folks at Marvel Studios will get a real shot at integrating Marvels’ “First Family” into their cinematic universe.
Unlike the “X-Men” franchise, and its current lineup of films, the “Fantastic Four” franchise is ripe for an immediate reboot. After 2015’s abysmal “Fant4stic,” fans all over the world are aching for someone to give the characters their rightful due.
It’s not crazy to think that with filmmakers like Peyton Reed basically begging for the job, Marvel Studios could immediately begin work on developing a new “Fantastic Four” film well before they touch the “X-Men.” Integration in Marvel Studios’ current slate wouldn’t be an issue either. Much like “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” the studio can simply rearrange their films a little bit to make it work. But let’s not forget, the “Fantastic Four” franchise isn’t just the four main leads. Disney is also inheriting a pretty great supporting cast.
It’s safe to say that Noah Hawley’s “Doom” film is, well, doomed. While Hawley has talked about continuing to work on the project, it doesn’t sound like the Dr. Doom solo film will begin production before the merger is finalized, and therefore will probably be scrapped. The same goes for the rumors surrounding a “Silver Surfer” film. However, don’t expect Marvel Studios to just sit by and let those characters collect dust. In fact, don’t be surprised if “Fantastic Four” antagonists, hit the screen before the main team does.
Dr. Doom is one of the greatest Marvel villains of all time, an easily be injected into a number of superhero properties and doesn’t need to only exist in “Fantastic Four.” And as for Silver Surfer, it wouldn’t be surprising if Feige and Marvel Studios have some long-term plans for that character and it’s pretty damn perfect timing this is all happening as Marvel rethinks itself after the end of the “Avengers: Infinity War” sequel.
After the current “Avengers” franchise, as we know it, wraps up with “Avengers 4,” ending the long-running Thanos plot, there’s really no clear path forward for the superhero team. Obviously, Disney will not let the franchise sit on the shelf. But after Thanos, where do you go? That’s easy — Galactus.
For those not familiar with Galactus, he’s the incredibly huge villain that goes from galaxy to galaxy devouring planets for his nourishment. And he has a “herald” that he sends ahead to prep a planet for its destruction, known as the Silver Surfer (in fact, the Surfer is integral to the original Infinity War comic book storyline). So, if Marvel Studios is looking for the next big bad to carry the MCU for the next 10 years, Galactus now sits there at the ready.
One thing is for sure, while everyone has their eyes on “X-Men,” this Disney-Fox merger could be way more meaningful, especially in the short(er)-term for the “Fantastic Four.”
“PLANET OF THE APES”
Let’s talk about some more non-superhero franchises for a second, as we look at the surprisingly strong “Planet of the Apes” films. The most recent trilogy has wrapped up, and many think that there’s no way the series could be improved moving forward. But has that ever stopped Disney?
The truth is, the ‘Apes’ franchise is riding an all-time high. There’s a ton of material to work from, and the goodwill surrounding the franchise has never been better. Other than future films, there’s some real money in ‘Apes’ coming from merchandising and licensing. Are you ready for toys? Theme park attractions? You know that Disney will have those ready for you. And who says the studio will just start fresh with the series? It’s completely possible and highly likely, Disney will move forward in the already-established “Planet of the Apes” world and continue to tell more stories, albeit with more of a four-quadrant mindset.
“AVATAR”
Let’s be honest, James Cameron will most likely be left to his own devices regarding his franchise. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. And in the case of “Avatar,” the box office receipts speak for themselves. That being said, there could be some changes to the overall plan. Disney isn’t a company that is going to sit around and let Cameron spend hundreds of millions of dollars on five sequels that aren’t profitable.
If “Avatar 2” is released and the box office receipts are lackluster, look for Cameron’s grand vision to likely be downsized. Perhaps stories are changed and release dates altered, but that’s all worst-case scenario. “Avatar,” and specifically the world of Pandora, is a relatively untapped resource. If anything, Disney can now use their considerable marketing power and merchandising/licensing skills to make “Avatar” a household franchise like Marvel or “Star Wars.”
“ALIEN”
As a huge fan of the “Alien” franchise, there’s potential hope and there’s immense doubt surrounding the Disney-Fox merger. While Ridley Scott has done his best to run the franchise into the ground (IMO, anyhow), there’s still plenty of stories left in the “Alien” franchise. While his last two “Alien” films were immensely flawed, Scott proved that you can create sci-fi films in the same universe without Xenomorphs at their center.
READ MORE: Ridley Scott Says ‘Alien’ Series Should Be As Big As ‘Star Trek’ & ‘Star Wars’
It’ll be interesting to see how Disney approaches the franchise moving forward, however. This is decidedly not a kid-friendly property and will almost certainly need to be R-rated to survive, but the world and its backstory are so rich, there could be some great sci-fi tales to be told. Perhaps, we could be looking at the franchise that will turn into something akin to an adult “Star Wars.” Because sorry “Star Wars” fans, the franchise is strictly there to appeal to children. Maybe, just maybe, we could see a full integration with another franchise to be named later.
“STAR WARS”
Speaking of “Star Wars,” the Disney-Fox deal could have some significance for the home video side of the galaxy far, far away. You may not realize this, but the reason that there hasn’t been a DVD/Blu-Ray release of the non-Special Edition Original Trilogy is that Fox owned the rights to the original cut of “A New Hope.” Guess what? That means that Disney would own that cut and can finally release a version of the original films that fans have been begging for. It sounds like a no-brainer and potential sure bet, but don’t underestimate the weight of George Lucas‘ legacy and the respect that Kathleen Kennedy and the current Lucasfilm regime have for it, him and his personal wishes.
“KINGSMAN”
While ‘The Golden Circle’ might be the box office juggernaut Fox hoped for, it has done very well for itself and according to filmmaker Matthew Vaughn, the “Kingsman” franchise has a bright future. In addition to an untitled “Kingsman 3,” the director has also announced plans for a prequel film, titled “Kingsman: The Great Game” and a TV series based on the Statesmen characters introduced in the latest film.
Obviously, with its extreme content, “Kingsman” isn’t going to find its way into the theme parks or toy aisles, but that doesn’t mean that Disney doesn’t see potential here. The franchise is still fairly popular, and with the right marketing, “Kingsman” can definitely regain some of its shine. But much like “Alien” and “Planet of the Apes,” it feels like “Kingsman” is ripe for the Touchstone Pictures release schedule and not Disney Prime.
“ICE AGE”
One of the forgotten Fox franchises that continues to make money for the studio is “Ice Age.” The series had a huge start in the U.S. but has turned into a bit of a worldwide powerhouse for Fox. Now, with the marketing power of Disney and its amazing line of animated classics, you have to imagine that the Mouse House is chomping at the bit to get ahold of “Ice Age.”
So, while a full-on reboot of the franchise is unlikely, perhaps the series will find its way on the streaming service, which will add some great worldwide content for the studio. Oh yeah, and if you thought you saw a lot of “Ice Age” merchandise before this, just you wait.
“DIE HARD,” “PREDATOR,” “SIMPSONS,” & MORE
As if the above franchises weren’t enough, Disney will also gain control of some classics like “Die Hard,” “Predator,” “The Simpsons,” “Home Alone,” and “Night at the Museum,” among many, many more.
As for “Die Hard” and “Predator,” it wouldn’t surprise me if nothing really happens here. Shane Black’s “The Predator” is scheduled to come out this year, and unless it’s a box office hit, the “Predator” franchise is probably dead, once again. Perhaps, the monster franchise can be re-integrated fully into the “Alien” world? That’s one way to kickstart interest in both properties.
“Die Hard” is a bit of an unknown. The series has been on a very steep decline since the mid-‘90s, and while there are reports of a sequel and a “Year One”-style prequel in development, they could become casualties of the merger. The property just doesn’t have the same appeal it had in previous decades, as action films like this find their way onto streaming services and aren’t major box office successes anymore.
“The Simpsons” could be an interesting prospect, however. With one successful movie under its belt, the franchise may be running on fumes on TV but could be exploited more in the merchandising and licensing departments, as well as a future feature film. We shall see.
But finally, “Night at the Museum” is another hidden gem in the merger. These films were incredibly popular and could easily be rebooted with the star du jour. Throw the current big name at the next film and you could be looking at franchise ready for a reboot like “Jumanji.”