Chris Columbus Explains Why He Was Removed from 2005's 'Fantastic Four'

Chris Columbus, the veteran director behind 'Home Alone,' 'Mrs. Doubtfire,' and the first two 'Harry Potter' films, revealed why he won't be returning to the superhero genre anytime soon. He shared that his experience on 2005's 'Fantastic Four' left a lasting mark on his career.

Chris Columbus on His Experience on 'Fantastic Four'

On a recent appearance on the 'Fade to Black' podcast promoting his Netflix film 'Thursday Murder Club,' Chris Columbus explained that he had written a script for the 2005 'Fantastic Four' back in 1995. However, he was ultimately fired because studio executives felt he had "too much of an opinion." Columbus said he had suggested incorporating more of Jack Kirby's Silver Age style into the film's conceptual art, but the feedback led to an unexpected phone call from 20th Century Fox letting him go. While he did receive an executive producer credit, he clarified that he had no involvement in the final product.

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Chris Columbus also noted that he has no desire to revisit superhero films, partly because many entries in the genre have already achieved near-perfection. He mentioned 'Spider-Man 2' and Matt Reeves' 'The Batman' as examples of superhero movies that exceeded his own creative ambitions. He admitted that being fired from 'Fantastic Four' contributed to his disinterest in pursuing similar projects in the future.

Chris Columbus's Other Endeavours

The 2005 'Fantastic Four,' which starred Ioan Gruffudd as Mister Fantastic, Jessica Alba as the Invisible Woman, Chris Evans as the Human Torch, and Michael Chiklis as The Thing, also featured Julian McMahon as Doctor Doom. Writers Mark Frost and Michael France were officially credited for the screenplay.

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Image Courtesy: People

Despite the setback, Chris Columbus continued to enjoy a successful directing career, including helming the first two 'Harry Potter' films and numerous other blockbusters. His recent work, 'Thursday Murder Club,' has been well-received and is slated for at least two sequels, showing that the director remains a major creative force in Hollywood even after his superhero disappointment.

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