Miles Teller has hinted at a specific person who played a role in the 2015 Fantastic Four reboot’s failure at the box office.
Previously, there had been a successful film series featuring the characters. These characters didn’t appear in early phases of the Marvel Cinematic Universe because Marvel did not own their rights, leading to a focus on the Avengers for the MCU instead.
The Fantastic Four consists of Mister Fantastic, The Thing, The Human Torch, and the Invisible Woman, making them one of Marvel’s most famous superhero teams.
Given the characters’ popularity, a reboot seemed like a good idea. Teller was cast as Mister Fantastic, with Michael B. Jordan as the Human Torch, Kate Mara as the Invisible Woman, and Jamie Bell as The Thing.
Despite the characters’ fame, the movie did poorly at the box office, leading to the cancellation of a planned sequel.
During an appearance on Andy Cohen Live on SiriusXM’s Radio Andy, Teller remarked: “It’s unfortunate for that [film], because so many people worked so hard on that movie.”
He teased further, saying: “And honestly, maybe there was one really important person who kind of f***ed it all up.”
Teller refrained from naming the individual but made it clear the issue was unrelated to the movie’s casting, praising his co-stars as ‘spectacular’.
He noted that superhero films were becoming a means for actors to establish themselves as leading figures in the industry.
Teller stated: “As a young actor at that time, it’s like, ‘Alright, if you want to be taken seriously as a leading man, you got to get on this superhero train.’ That was our chance.
“And the casting, I thought, was spectacular. I love all those actors.”
Reflecting on the situation, Teller said: “When I first saw the movie, I remember talking to one of the studio heads and said, ‘I think we’re in trouble.’”
Among the cast, Michael B. Jordan later appeared in the MCU, portraying the antagonist Killmonger in 2018’s Black Panther. Killmonger is a character critical of Wakanda’s non-intervention in historical injustices such as the Atlantic slave trade and ongoing racial discrimination.
Why exactly he is labeled a villain is open to interpretation.
After various appearances outside the MCU, the Fantastic Four are now slated to join an official Marvel film, with a release scheduled for this year.