According to authoritative data from boxofficemojo, the Marvel film “Fantastic Four” has a global box office total of $506.3 million.
In terms of revenue, this result is quite acceptable compared to the previous two Marvel films (“Captain America 4” and “Thunderbolts”).The film draws a lot of inspiration from the various iterations of the “Fantastic Four” comics, with some characters completely replicating their comic book designs.However, the character of Mr. Fantastic is somewhat different, even from previous versions of the character.
In a recent media interview, director Matt Shakman clearly stated that the MCU version of Mr. Fantastic is modeled after three real-life geniuses from world history.The first source of inspiration revealed by the director is Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple Inc., entrepreneur, and inventor.
The film makes it clear early on that, aside from his superhero identity, Mr. Fantastic is also an exceptional inventor in this world.For example, the “Fantastic Car” exclusive to the Fantastic Four is not an ordinary street vehicle, but rather equipment he invented for the team.His inventions are crucial to the plot of the entire film—such as the teleportation bridge built to expel the planet devourer.Matt Shakmanspecifically mentioned in the podcast “Dream Material” (shared via YouTube) that another robot invented by Mr. Fantastic, HERBIE, is similar to the iPhone, which is a direct example of how he associates Mr. Fantastic with Jobs.
According to the director, while the Fantastic Four have a custom version of the HERBIE robot, the ordinary citizens in this world also use a “civilian version of HERBIE”:“We designed all the exclusive equipment, whether it’s the Fantastic Car or the HERBIE robot. There is also a more adorable retro-futuristic civilian version of HERBIE and vehicles.”When asked if the HERBIE version is similar to Amazon’s Alexa, the director confirmed:“I think it resembles the iPhone more—a civilian HERBIE with a slightly different appearance that can perform tasks like delivery.”Thus,Matt Shakman views Jobs as a direct source of inspiration for Mr. Fantastic, especially in terms of his role in advancing world technology.Albert EinsteinIn the same interview,Matt Shakman also revealed that Einstein is another source of inspiration for the MCU version of Mr. Fantastic.
It is well known that this genius, recognized for proposing the theory of relativity and advancing quantum theory, aligns closely with the scientist persona of Mr. Fantastic.Mr. Fantasticis indeed a renowned scientist dedicated to physical research and equation calculations, proposing revolutionary theories in the fields of teleportation and space travel.Matt Shakmanbelieves that the Mr. Fantastic in the MCU is a “prodigy,” whose technological inventions may be “twenty to thirty years ahead” of the Earth-616 universe, mirroring Einstein’s experience of self-learning geometry at age 12 and earning a PhD at 26:“Before becoming Mr. Fantastic, as a prodigy, he had already introduced new technologies twenty to thirty years ahead of time, which is why the 1960s we see are completely different from reality.”Robert MosesThe third source of inspiration is urban planner Robert Moses.
This architect, who shaped the New York metropolitan network, profoundly influenced architectural design and urban planning across the United States in the 20th century.Robert Mosesstanding in front of a miniature model of New York is strikingly similar to the scene of Mr. Fantastic operating a model.Just asRobert Mosesshaped the future landscape of America, the Mr. Fantastic in the film also drives the world forward with his inventions, intelligence, and characteristics.Matt Shakmanconcluded:“He is a fusion of Jobs, Einstein, and Moses—this is the essence of the character!”
Note: The above are the attitudes and views of the director of “Fantastic Four” and do not necessarily represent the official stance of Marvel, so they are for reference only.👇 Follow the small account to avoid losing contact 👇