Of all the various superhero teams, the Fantastic Four are my least favourite. I've never found them that interesting, as a group or individually. So I haven't been following the progress of Josh Trank's reboot of the franchise. Neither has Fox, apparently, who despite the film scheduled to start filming on June 17th of this year, has not yet announced a cast for the film. Maybe they're too busy watching Bryan Singer show everyone how to get interest up in a superhero franchise that should have died out long ago. Or maybe they were waiting for the release of Iron Man 3, so they could piggy back on the tenuously related Marvel film press wagon. Or maybe they are just lazy and don't actually care about the product. I'm guessing it's that last one.
In the last two days, two rumours have surfaced about the film. First, Girls' star Allison Williams (and daughter to the only American news anchor worth watching) is apparently the favourite to play Sue Storm, aka The Invisible Woman. The second was that Chronicle star Michael B. Jordan is favoured to play the role of Johnny Storm, aka the Human Torch. Concerning the latter, a source said the "chances depend on whether or not he has chemistry with the other actors up for the highly-anticipated movie, according to one insider."
I'm not going to comment on the fact that Jordon is black, and that historically Johnny Storm has not been. That, honestly, does not matter. That isn't an issue, or a story, no more then Samuel L. Jackson playing Nick Fury was, or Idris Elba playing Heimdall was. What I will say is that anyone classifying the Fantastic Four as "highly anticipated" clearly misunderstands both of those words. Avengers 2 is highly anticipated. X-Men Days of Futures Past is hotly looked out for. Fantastic Four is tattoo-after-a-night-of-heavy-drinking tolerated.
Meanwhile, in another universe, Kevin Feige has responded to the rumours about Avengers 2 including Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch with a definitive... no comment. Actually, what he said was, "I’m not confirming or denying. The draft could change six months from now." Which is true. The first draft of the Avengers included Wasp. Remember all the awesome stuff Wasp did in the Avengers. Like how she wasn't in it at all because Marvel told Joss he couldn't use her. So a brother-sister act might be in the draft (we have only Joss' word, and he might be screwing with us), and we have no idea who they are, or if they will last.
I've already backed my horse, and until there is an official casting and confirmation, and I see the actors in costume, I'm sticking with my theory. It uses all the same evidence everyone else's does, which is to say none at all.
Via Collider, and again, and The Mary Sue.