20 Biggest Movies Of 2015: What Do We Already Know?
13. Fantastic Four
Who's involved? Josh Trank became one of the youngest directors to have a box office number one movie with Chronicle, giving the superhero movie a youthful, rough and ready appeal with one of the more creative films to come out of the found footage boom. It should come as no surprise that Fox have hired him to bring the same qualities to their Fantastic Four reboot, based on the more youthful Ultimates version of the team. Trank's Chronicle star Michael B. Jordan has been rumoured to be attached to the film since the director signed up and confirmed his involvement last month, as did House of Cards' Kate Mara. Miles Teller (The Spectacular Now) and Jamie Bell (Billy Elliot, Tintin) are set to join them. What's the story? A complete reboot of the Fantastic Four franchise after the moderately successful but charmless films directed by Tim Story less than ten years ago, Trank's Fantastic Four will likely use the more student age Ultimates version of child prodigy scientist and Mr Fantastic Reed Richards (Teller), pushy biochemist/Invisible Woman Sue Storm (Mara), her cocky brother and Human Torch Johnny (Jordan) and tough guy Ben Grimm turned walking rock The Thing (Bell, somewhat surprisingly). Rumour has suggested the reboot will be another origin story for the new young team (the Ultimates version of which gained their powers through teleporting to the Negative Zone rather than on a spaceship) and an, as yet uncast, Victor von Doom will probably feature once more as the team's nemesis.
12. Cinderella
Who's involved? After the success, commercially at least, of Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland and the stylish looking upcoming Maleficent, Disney continue the trend of more mature live action takes on their animated classics and are continuing to attach prestigious actors and directors to these projects. Director Kenneth Branagh is reuniting with his Frankenstein co-star Helena Bonham Carter and adding newly Oscar winning Cate Blanchett to a cast that also includes Lily James (Downton Abbey) and Richard Madden (Game of Thrones' Robb Stark). The script has been written by Aline Brosh McKenna (The Devil Wears Prada) and Chris Weitz (About a Boy, The Golden Compass), so expect a more nuanced wicked stepmother that's part Anna Wintour and part Mrs. Coulter. What's the story? It may be a new take on the old Charles Perrault fairy tale, but this is still Disney so it's unlikely to be any more than lightly revisionist. The story will still involve young Ella (James) having to deal with her widower father's remarriage to Lady Tremaine (Blanchett) and his death shortly afterwards, before Ella's cruel new stepmother and stepsisters reduce her to sweeping up ashes. We are also sure to see Cinders falling for her Prince Charming (Madden) and being equipped with a handy pumpkin carriage and glass slippers by her fairy godmother (Bonham Carter). The question is whether Branagh can bring a bit of grit and grime or wit and charm to this time worn tale.
