The Fantastic Four, Marvel Comics' first family, debuted in 1961 and sparked the 'Marvel Age' of superheroes. Despite their importance, big-screen adaptations have consistently failed. The latest attempt, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, stars Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, but follows four previous misfires.
The 1994 version, produced by Roger Corman for under $1m, was never officially released. Screenwriter Craig Nevius recalls pitching his childhood love of the characters. The film was a rush job to retain film rights, but remains a cult curiosity.
Two 2000s films starring Chris Evans were vapid, and a 2015 reboot was panned by critics and its own director. 'It's been an insurmountable challenge for filmmakers,' says Nevius.
The original comic, by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, introduced flawed heroes with human emotions. Their powers were disjointed, and they were 'weirdoes as heroes', a trend that defined Marvel's later successes like Spider-Man and the X-Men.
