Update: Following up on Variety’s earlier scoop, Deadline has checked in with their Fox insiders who insist that there will be no Daredevil deal between Fox and Marvel that would grant Marvel access to Fantastic Four characters. Instead, Fox will either let Daredevil return to Marvel or a co-financing deal will be struck that would extend the October 10 deadline. If Daredevil does revert to Marvel, there’s no guarantee the current “hardcore 70s thriller” concept with Joe Carnahan set to direct is what Marvel will run with. Hopefully a decision is made shortly and these rumors can be put to rest.
Original article: The Silver Surfer could be striking a deal with Galactus in a future Marvel Cinematic Universe film if Fox accepts a new proposal to extend the Daredevil rights before they run out on October 10.
Let’s back up to fully understand what’s happening between Fox and Marvel. As you may or may not know, Marvel licensed out several of its properties to other studios before they began creating their own cinematic universe. These properties include heavyweights Spider-Man to Columbia Pictures, and X-Men and Fantastic Four to Twentieth Century Fox, amongst others.
Another of the Marvel properties currently at Fox is Daredevil. If you recall, and you may not considering the final product, Fox released a Daredevil film in 2003 starring Ben Affleck as Daredevil and Jennifer Garner as Elektra. Garner would end up getting a spin-off which went over about as well as Daredevil did: lukewarm.
The catch in Fox’s agreement with Marvel is that if a new film starring the character does not begin shooting by October 10, the rights will revert back to Marvel. Fox has been trying to get a new Daredevil off the ground and at one point not too long ago had David Slade attached to direct. He dropped out, and now Joe Carnahan is in Fox’s sights to direct what is described as a “Frank Miller-esque, hardcore 70s thriller.”
With the clock ticking louder and louder as the October 10 start date nears, the odds of Fox getting their cards in order to begin shooting on time and looking more and more unlikely. Enter Marvel with a Darth Vader-esque altering of the plan.
Per Variety, Marvel has sent a proposal to Fox that will extend the October 10 deadline and give Fox the time they need to get Daredevil ready to shoot. In exchange, Marvel wants the ability to use characters from the Fantastic Four universe, including Galactus and Silver, in their own Cinematic Universe. This would be in addition to Fox’s own Fantastic Four reboot currently in the works with Josh Trank (Chronicle) attached to direct.
If this deal goes through, we could theoretically see the Fantastic Four, Galactus and Silver surfer showing up in an Avengers movie. We could also see Marvel launch their own Fantastic Four standalone film, which would be utterly confusing with Fox putting out their own.
Source: Variety
