Bleeding Cool: Would Marvel Really Cancel Fantastic Four To Snub Fox?

[Iron Maiden]

Marvel Studios and Marvel publishing are independent of each other. As long as a title sells, it will continue. The most recent estimated sales for Fantastic Four were 34,930 for April. That's not spectacular but still puts them in the top 100. Ultimate FF is not doing well at 23,316 so if it goes much lower it will probably not continue after this first arc is done. With an unknown artist and 4 different inkers on the most recent issue of Ultimate FF, it doesn't appear that Marvel has the resources to really devote to this title to make it stand out. That is unfortunate because the writing has been pretty good so far.

I admit I was surprised that the first cover released for that 75th anniversary issue doesn't include the Fantastic Four. There will probably be variant covers that will include them.

[Zero Hunter]

Who would have ever thought they would cancel Thor for a few years back when the did either, but they did and it did the property a world of good. I have been saying for years that the FF being put it on the shelf for a couple years just like they did with Thor would do it a world of good. Make people miss the characters and come back strong.

[Super-Cyke]

I think this is true

I wouldn't mind if Marvel/Disney did something with Fox to get the x-men and FF film rights back after X-Men Apocalypse. However, I wouldn't mind Fox keeping the x-films rights as well

[Tiamatty]

Who would have ever thought they would cancel Thor for a few years back when the did either, but they did and it did the property a world of good. I have been saying for years that the FF being put it on the shelf for a couple years just like they did with Thor would do it a world of good. Make people miss the characters and come back strong.

Doing something like, though, is a bit different. That's a hiatus, and it would be more about sales than about spiting Fox. And that's the part of the speculation I take real issue with.

Honestly, Rich Johnston kinda strikes me as a "blind squirrel" journalist. He finds a few nuts here and there, but he's also pretty clueless overall and throws out all sorts of rumours and speculation. And of course, he never has to own up to his many, many, many wrong guesses.

[Alvarez]

I think this is true

I wouldn't mind if Marvel/Disney did something with Fox to get the x-men and FF film rights back after X-Men Apocalypse. However, I wouldn't mind Fox keeping the x-films rights as well

How would not publishing Fantastic Four help get the rights back?
Fox owns the rights for as long as they keep using the property.

It has NOTHING to do with the comics.

[Super-Cyke]

How would not publishing Fantastic Four help get the rights back?
Fox owns the rights for as long as they keep using the property.

It has NOTHING to do with the comics.

Disney seems passive aggressive and pissy. Not saying this would help them get the rights back, but after this ant-man/director fall out and other news concerning problems with Episode VII production, I wouldn't put something like this past Disney

[Alvarez]

Disney seems passive aggressive and pissy. Not saying this would help them get the rights back, but after this ant-man/director fall out and other news concerning problems with Episode VII production, I wouldn't put something like this past Disney

It makes no sense business wise though, like at all.
You really think Disney would tell Marvel "Hey you know that book you have that generates revenue? Well stop publishing it because we don't like Fox and even though the comic has nothing to do with them you should just stop making it because... well because!"

Again, the print division of Marvel is no way related to Fox making a film.
Having it pulled would amount to nothing aside from Marvel losing out sales wise.
What's bad for Marvel is bad for Disney and even then the print division doesn't add up to much really.

At the end of the day the bottom line is profit, not internet gossip.

[Super-Cyke]

It makes no sense business wise though, like at all.
You really think Disney would tell Marvel "Hey you know that book you have that generates revenue? Well stop publishing it because we don't like Fox and even though the comic has nothing to do with them you should just stop making it because... well because!"

Again, the print division of Marvel is no way related to Fox making a film.
Having it pulled would amount to nothing aside from Marvel losing out sales wise.
What's bad for Marvel is bad for Disney and even then the print division doesn't add up to much really.

At the end of the day the bottom line is profit, not internet gossip.

They lost the director who's been working on Ant-man since 2006. A guy who was extremely liked and brought interest to the project. Most likely due to corporate pushing, he left the project. JJ Abrams tried to leave Episode VII after being brought on for the project. Disney refused letting him push the movie past a 2015 release. A screen-writer for Episode VII that was initially seen as a sigh of relief for the project was fired and more re-writing was done Episode VII with new writers

Disney has a growing reputation of not budging for anyone, even when their moves seem to have know logic behind them. Again, I will repeat myself:

Disney seems passive aggressive and pissy. Not saying this would help them get the rights back, but after this ant-man/director fall out and other news concerning problems with Episode VII production, I wouldn't put something like this past Disney

If you disagree, that's fine. I've listed a growing history of Disney's arrogance driving talent away and I'm not going to keep going back and forth over this. I think it's true. I don't think the revenue generated from 20,000 issues of FF titles a month is that important to Marvel/Disney. I think interest in the FF franchise would drop over a period of time of no on-going comics, cartoons, etc. And I think Disney would like dropped interest of an IP where they have no control over the most profitable entertainment medium it has at its disposal (movies)

[Alvarez]

They lost the director who's been working on Ant-man since 2006. A guy who was extremely liked and brought interest to the project. Most likely due to corporate pushing, he left the project. JJ Abrams tried to leave Episode VII after being brought on for the project. Disney refused letting him push the movie past a 2015 release. A screen-writer for Episode VII that was initially seen as a sigh of relief for the project was fired and more re-writing was done Episode VII with new writers

Disney has a growing reputation of not budging for anyone, even when their moves seem to have know logic behind them. Again, I will repeat myself:

Disney seems passive aggressive and pissy. Not saying this would help them get the rights back, but after this ant-man/director fall out and other news concerning problems with Episode VII production, I wouldn't put something like this past Disney

If you disagree, that's fine. I've listed a growing history of Disney's arrogance driving talent away and I'm not going to keep going back and forth over this. I think it's true. I don't think the revenue generated from 20,000 issues of FF titles a month is that important to Marvel/Disney.

Everything you're using as proof has NOTHING at all to do with the print division of Marvel.
So I'm not exactly sure how you can compare the two... but whatever I guess.

[Trevel8182]

That article is hilarious considering that a Sony character is front and center.

Marvel owns the merchandizing rights to Spider-Man.

[Alvarez]

Marvel owns the merchandizing rights to Spider-Man.

I thought they own the merch rights to ALL of their characters.
Don't other companies license their stuff through them - as far as merch is concerned.

[Username taken]

How would not publishing Fantastic Four help get the rights back?
Fox owns the rights for as long as they keep using the property.

It has NOTHING to do with the comics.

This basically.

If Marvel cancels Fantastic Four, they'll lose and Fox will continue to make their average movies.

[Kieran_Frost]

It's just a rumour. No company throws away millions of pounds a year to be pointlessly petty (and to what end, the previous films will probably bring in more movie goers than any current comic will). It serves no purpose to cancel them like that.

[THANOSRULES]

The book has not sold well. Its structure and story potential is more rigid, ie theyve exhausted a lot of ideas.

Many people would argue the concept needs a break..espc when somwbody luke Thor dissapears for years.

If they were to create a good story, create a good character within FF it could be used by fox in films..ie the creative use clauses with stuff is vague at best for supporting characters like Annhilus or Wyatt Wingfoot.

Why give fox ammo when theyve come so close to getting the property back?

Its not like marvel needs to mothball the characters.

[Lady Warp Spasm]

That's just some stupid rumor that Bleedingcool started, http://www.bleedingcool.com/2014/05/...r-to-snub-fox/

And there is no way that is happening. What reasonable explanation would they possibly have for cancelling both of those titles for no reason at all. It wouldn't help them in any way shape or form. Could they take a hiatus for a month or two like Loki is with Original Sin, yes but just canceling them entirely is ridiculous.

Exactly. I wouldn't worry. I can see a hiatus for a few months to allow a new team to get ramped up for the next book. If past films are anything to go by, Marvel would not miss the opportunity to have an F4 book on the stands when the next film comes out.