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The Lost Year: Why The 'Fantastic Four 2017' Movie Never Happened And What Was Happening To Marvel's First Family

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The year 2017 was a strange, silent chapter in the history of Marvel’s First Family, the Fantastic Four. Despite the previous attempt at a reboot in 2015, which was a critical and commercial disaster, the expectation and hope for a new film—perhaps a 'Fantastic Four 2017'—lingered in the air, especially as the calendar flipped past the two-year mark since the last movie. However, no such film materialized, and the reason for this striking absence is a fascinating story of corporate ownership, film rights limbo, and a deliberate creative decision that left the team missing from both the big screen and, controversially, the main comic book universe.

The core issue surrounding the non-existent 'Fantastic Four 2017' was a complicated web of ownership that had been in place for decades. The film rights to the characters—Reed Richards (Mister Fantastic), Sue Storm (Invisible Woman), Johnny Storm (Human Torch), and Ben Grimm (The Thing)—were not yet with Marvel Studios, but remained firmly in the hands of 20th Century Fox (via a deal with Constantin Film). This situation created an unprecedented gap in the team's cinematic legacy, turning 2017 into a year of intense speculation and corporate maneuvering rather than superhero spectacle.

The Great Limbo: Film Rights and the Shadow of the Disney-Fox Deal

To understand why the 'Fantastic Four 2017' movie was a phantom project, one must look at the disastrous performance of the 2015 film, simply titled *Fantastic Four*. Directed by Josh Trank, the movie failed to resonate with audiences and critics, putting any immediate sequel plans on ice. For Fox, the prospect of immediately investing in another big-budget reboot was a significant risk.

The Fox-Marvel Dynamic in 2017

In 2017, 20th Century Fox was still the sole custodian of the Fantastic Four film rights. The studio had to produce a film periodically to retain the rights, a common clause in licensing agreements. However, the poor reception of the 2015 film meant the studio was strategically quiet about the property. This silence was amplified by the massive, industry-shaking news that began to dominate the headlines towards the end of the year: The Walt Disney Company was in talks to acquire a major portion of 21st Century Fox’s assets, including their film studio, 20th Century Fox.

  • The Core Problem: The rights were held by Fox, making any Marvel Studios involvement impossible.
  • The Corporate Shift: Discussions and eventual announcement of the Disney-Fox acquisition in late 2017 signaled the eventual return of the characters to Marvel Studios.
  • The Consequence: Fox had no incentive to rush a new *Fantastic Four* film, knowing the property was likely to change hands, thus creating the 'lost year' of 2017.

This period was characterized by a holding pattern. Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige had confirmed in 2017 that there were no immediate plans for the Fantastic Four to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) because the rights were still with Fox. This confirmation extinguished any lingering hope for a surprise 'Fantastic Four 2017' announcement, solidifying the year as one of cinematic purgatory for the team.

Where Was the Fantastic Four in the Comics in 2017?

The cinematic absence of the Fantastic Four was mirrored by a controversial and deliberate hiatus in the main Marvel Comics universe, adding a layer of topical authority to the idea of the team being 'missing' in 2017. Following the massive 2015 comic event *Secret Wars*, the main team—Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Franklin Richards, and Valeria Richards—had disappeared.

The Aftermath of Secret Wars

In the comics, Reed and Sue, along with their children and the Future Foundation, stayed behind on Battleworld after *Secret Wars* to use Franklin’s powers to rebuild the Multiverse. This narrative choice meant that for a large part of 2016 and 2017, the core Fantastic Four title was canceled, and the characters were functionally absent from the main continuity.

The Rise of Marvel Two-In-One (2017)

While the main family was gone, Marvel did not leave Ben Grimm (The Thing) and Johnny Storm (Human Torch) entirely without a title. The year 2017 saw the launch of a new series that kept the spirit of the Fantastic Four alive: *Marvel Two-In-One*.

This series focused on Ben and Johnny traveling the Multiverse in search of Reed and Sue. The premise perfectly captured the longing and uncertainty surrounding the team both in-universe and in the real world:

  • The Thing (Ben Grimm): His arc focused on his grief and his bond with Johnny, driven by the belief that Reed and Sue were still alive somewhere.
  • Human Torch (Johnny Storm): His character was centered on his desperate hope and recklessness in trying to find his sister and brother-in-law.
  • Topical Resonance: The comic mirrored the real-world situation—fans were Ben and Johnny, searching for the missing Fantastic Four property.

The *Marvel Two-In-One* series, which ran through 2017 and beyond, became the de facto *Fantastic Four* title of the era, exploring themes of family, loss, and the enduring nature of their connection, even when separated by a Multiverse.

The Unmade Fantastic Four: Fan Speculation and Satire

The silence from Fox and Marvel Studios in 2017 did not stop the fans and creators from imagining what a successful Fantastic Four movie could look like. This year became a fertile ground for speculation, fan-casting, and even satirical takes on the property.

The 'First Steps' Phenomenon

In 2017, a popular YouTube creator, Patrick Willems, released a video that perfectly satirized the idea of a pretentious, unmade Fantastic Four film titled *Fantastic Four: First Steps*. This video gained traction because it tapped into the collective frustration and curiosity of fans who were desperate for a good movie but were stuck in the limbo of the rights issue.

The satire highlighted the common fan desires for a reboot, including:

  • A focus on the team’s identity as explorers and scientists, not just superheroes.
  • A tone that balances high-concept science fiction with genuine family drama.
  • An acknowledgment of the team's status as the "First Family" of the Marvel Universe.

The fact that a fan-made video about an unmade film became a key piece of the "Fantastic Four 2017" conversation underscores how completely the property was owned by fan desire during that period, rather than by a functioning studio production.

The End of the Limbo and the Road to the MCU

While 2017 was a year of waiting, it was also the beginning of the end for the Fox era of the Fantastic Four. The December 2017 announcement of the Disney-Fox merger set the stage for the rights to officially revert to Marvel Studios in March 2019.

The 'Fantastic Four 2017' movie never happened because the property was caught between a failed reboot, a major corporate acquisition, and a deliberate hiatus in the comic books. This confluence of events turned 2017 into the quietest, yet most significant, year in the team's modern history—a period of transition that ultimately paved the way for the team's eventual, highly-anticipated arrival in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The Lost Year: Why the 'Fantastic Four 2017' Movie Never Happened and What Was Happening to Marvel's First Family
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