Miles Teller Blames the Failure of His ‘Fantastic Four’ Movie on One Person

Chronicle blew my mind all the way back in 2012. The film felt exciting and fresh (partly because I’d never seen Akira). I was introduced to Michael B. Jordan and Dane DeHaan, and expected them both to have the same career that the former is currently enjoying. But I was most intrigued by the director, Josh Trank, because within months of the movie’s release, he had signed on to direct a new Fantastic Four film.

The man was already playing in a superhero space that felt subversive, and I assumed his Fantastic Four movie would go the same route. In the wake of James Gunn’s Superman and Matt Shakman’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps, it’s safe to say that certain superheroes can benefit by digging more into what makes them who they are rather than subverting those expectations. 13 years ago, I was up for whatever, and let down significantly.

There was something to be gained from the film. As I was leaving the theater, a young African American boy yelled flame on and ran up the aisle. I don’t even remember if Jordan said that line in the film, but the kid was excited regardless, and that ruled. Everything else was disastrous. It was so bad that my wife and I walked 80 blocks (84th to 164th) talking about it. I knew it would be bad, but I could never have expected how much that was the case. Miles Teller knew, though.

The actor, who was one of the stars of the film, recently revealed that he saw the writing on the wall… maybe later than he should have. There were reports that the production was severely troubled, but Teller told Andy Cohen his worries mounted after seeing the film .”When I first saw the movie, I remember talking to one of the studio heads and said, ‘I think we’re in trouble,’” Teller explained.

He went on to note that, at the time, getting the lead in a superhero film was a step actors had to take. “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,” he explained. “And the casting, I thought, was spectacular. I love all those actors.” I agree with him on the casting aspect. He was joined by Jordan, Kate Mara, Jamie Bell, and Toby Kebbell. That’s a good group!

Teller then goes on to say that the experience was marred thanks to “one really important person” screwing everything up. That feels more in line with reports, which became a blame game between FOX (who produced the film) and Trank. FOX’s reports claimed Trank was erratic and difficult, so he could be the person Teller is talking about. However, if you believe the reports that FOX reshot major aspects of the film without Trank, you may blame someone else.

Simon Kinberg, a writer and producer on the film, reportedly had to step in to do some of the reshoots. We’ll never know for sure if Trank’s version of the film was better, but it’s safe to say that what we got was bad. It’s also safe to say that Kinberg’s directorial debut, Dark Phoenix, was also bad in a very similar way. So, either he’s the person assigned to clean up FOX’s mess, even when they’re on death’s door, or he is responsible for said mess. Could be both, could be neither, but Teller ain’t telling.