Fantastic Four actor Ioan Gruffudd reveals intent for three-film series, citing studio's premature ending: "Matters beyond my jurisdiction."
In the world of superhero movies, the "Fantastic Four" has always held a special place. The franchise, which included Ioan Gruffudd as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, and Michael Chiklis, was a critical dud and only mild box office hit, each movie grossing more than $300 million worldwide.
Gruffudd remains proud of his two "Fantastic Four" movies, but he expressed disappointment over the abrupt cancellation of the third film, which ended the original franchise unexpectedly. He attributes this halt to studio decisions beyond the cast's control.
After the franchise ended, Gruffudd sought therapy and spoke about his experiences with the "Fantastic Four" franchise in interviews with Vulture and The Guardian. He expressed grief over leaving the role of Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic earlier than expected. He believed that playing a superhero would be a calling card for him in Hollywood, but his career did not take off as he expected.
The superhero genre was gaining steam with the "X-Men" and "Spider-Man" movies when Ioan Gruffudd's "Fantastic Four" franchise ended. One year after the release of "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer", "Iron Man" and "The Dark Knight" were released, marking the explosion of the superhero genre.
Despite the end of the original franchise, the "Fantastic Four" continues to live on. The new reboot, titled "Fantastic Four: First Steps", is playing nationwide. Ioan Gruffudd attended the premiere of the new Marvel Cinematic Universe reboot, but he has mostly refrained from detailed public comments on it, focusing rather on his appreciation for the legacy of the role he played.
Michael Chiklis, who played the Thing in the original series, also showed his support for the new cast and crew. His message was posted on his social media platform, expressing admiration for the new actors taking on the "Fantastic Four" roles and wishing them success.
Gruffudd's "Fantastic Four" franchise may have been cut short, but it has left a lasting impact. The cast and crew of the new reboot can count on the support of their predecessors as they embark on this new journey.
Movies-and-tv and entertainment are integral parts of the world in which the Fantastic Four franchise thrived. Ioan Gruffudd, despite the abrupt cancellation of the third film and his career not taking off as he expected, continues to show his support for the ongoing entertainment provided by the Fantastic Four, including the new reboot.
