4. Fox Deliberately Ruined Fantastic Four So Marvel Couldn't Profit From It
The Theory: There are numerous variations on this theory, but the most logical one suggests that Fox didn't really have any interest in making a Fantastic Four movie, but rather than just let the rights expire so that Marvel Studios could scoop them up, they made a terrible movie in an attempt to "torpedo" the cinematic franchise, tainting it so much that a Marvel Studios Fantastic Four movie wouldn't be a viable option either. Considering that most casual moviegoers can't tell the difference between a Fox and a Marvel Studios Marvel movie, it just might work, too. Why It's Awesome: Sure, it's a little on the tinfoil hat-wearing side, and though it sucks that Fox would dare pull out such a vindictive move, it is rather brilliant in its own way if true. Sure, Fox poured a lot of effort into making a movie that made them no money, but they epically trolled their chief rival with a "if we can't do it, you can't either" $120 million temper tantrum. How Likely Is It?: 3/10. If 2014's Sony e-mail leak proved anything, it's that movie execs are about as mature as playground bullies, so it makes sense in a twisted way. Still, like we say, it's a lot of effort just to inconvenience another studio, and given Marvel's track record at adapting difficult properties, they might still find a way to make a third Fantastic Four reboot work. Plus, it seems like a pretty cruel load to dump on talented young director Josh Trank, whose career may well have been totally derailed by this calamity.