The superhero redo project has 'X-Men: Days of Future Past' writer Simon Kinberg, while the sequel to 1982's 'Conan the Barbarian' has 'World Trade Center' scribe Andrea Berloff.
- Oct 2, 2013
AceShowbiz - "Fantastic Four" reboot has got a new writer, The Hollywood Reporter says. "X-Men: Days of Future Past" scribe Simon Kinberg is reportedly on board to write the screenplay for the project. He will also serve as the producer along with his "X-Men" partner Matthew Vaughn.
Since the new "Fantastic Four" was first announced in 2009 by 20th Century Fox, many writers such as Jeremy Slater, Michael Green, Seth Grahame-Smith and T.S. Nowlin have been brought in to pen stories for the redo. Now Kinberg is expected to be "overhauling the script substantially."
"Chronicle" helmer Josh Trank remains in his post as the director for the upcoming do-over about Marvel comic characters who gain super powers after exposed to cosmic rays. The untitled new Fantastic Four project is planned to be released on March 6, 2015.
Another movie project, "The Legend of Conan", by Universal Pictures has also snagged an author to work on the screenplay. Andrea Berloff ("World Trade Center", "Sleepless Night") is hired to pen the story which reportedly will focus on the titular king's efforts to stay on the throne as his reign comes to a close.
"We're thrilled to be working with Chris and his creative team and to see Arnold Schwarzenegger return in the role that started his career," says producer Fredrik Malmberg. He calls Berloff "an amazing writer who can juggle masculine grittiness with extreme emotional depth. Her take on Conan is powerful and genuine and would make Robert E. Howard proud."
Schwarzenegger, the original actor, is brought back to play the barbarian hero. His performance in the first movie "Conan the Barbarian", released in 1982, helped propel his name to stardom. The bodybuilder-turned-actor reprised his role in sequel "Conan the Destroyer" which came out two years later.
The upcoming reboot reportedly will be a direct sequel to the very first film, bypassing the 1984 "Conan the Destroyer" and a new take on "Conan the Barbarian" which was released in 2011 with Jason Momoa on the lead. No director, release date and other cast are announced for the upcoming pic.
The first-ever "Fantastic Four" film, meanwhile, was actually produced by Roger Corman and Bernd Eichinger in early 1990s on a shoestring budget, but it never made it to the theaters. Despite the unreleased project, Eichinger went to make another movie about the four superheroes.
Eventually, "Fantastic Four" was released in 2005. It starred Ioan Gruffudd as Reed Richards a.k.a. Mr. Fantastic, Jessica Alba as Susan Storm a.k.a. Invisible Woman, Chris Evans as Johnny Storm a.k.a. Human Torch, and Michael Chiklis as Ben Grimm a.k.a. The Thing.
A sequel, "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer", followed in 2007. The actors from the first movie were all back reprising the respective superhero roles. Both movies were directed by Tim Story and grossed more than $620 million worldwide combined.
