"They SUCK!" MCU Star Reveals Marvel"s Huge Fantastic Four Problem

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Actor Ben Mendelsohn highlighted the problem facing Marvel Studios in bringing the Fantastic Four into the MCU. The Secret Invasion star was hilariously curt in his comments, saying simply that in contrast to the greatest Marvel villain of all time - Dr Doom - the Fantastic Four "suck." While there are some who would disagree with Mendelsohn's assessment, his analysis does outline the challenges the upcoming 2025 film must overcome.
Mendelsohn spoke about his loathing of the Fantastic Four during an interview with The Wrap, which saw him shower their greatest foe with enthusiastic praise. When asked who he would become, if he possessed the shape-shifting powers of a Skrull, Mendelsohn did not hesitate in answering that he would become the Fantastic Four's long-term nemesis, Doctor Doom. This led to a lengthy explanation of why Doctor Doom was a great character and why the Fantastic Four suffered in comparison. Mendelsohn's comments can be seen in full below.
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Why Ben Mendelsohn Hates The Fantastic Four

Mendelsohn's hatred of the Fantastic Four stems from the fact that they are so dull compared to Doctor Doom, whom he describes as "the greatest single character in the entire MCU, bar none." Mendelsohn pointed to Doom's relatable backstory and his admirable qualities, discussing how the loss of Doom's family and country inspired him to become a master of science and sorcery, as well as a politician. Mendelsohn dismissed the Fantastic Four as a team, describing them as "Marvel's first attempt to make a group" before getting it right with X-Men. He did, however, credit the Fantastic Four comics with introducing Doctor Doom and the Skrulls.
While Mendelsohn's opinions on the Fantastic Four as characters are debatable, they do highlight a public perception problem that Marvel Studios must combat. Unlike most of the characters being introduced into the MCU Phase 5, the Fantastic Four has an existing presence in the cultural zeitgeist. While not as popular as the aforementioned X-Men, the Fantastic Four have been adapted for film on three separate occasions. The most famous of these was produced by 20th Century Fox in 2005. The others include an unreleased project from 1994 produced by B-movie veteran Roger Corman and a 2015 film directed by Josh Trank.
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The MCU's Fantastic Four Is Phase 6's Biggest Challenge

The 2005 Fantastic Four film and its 2007 sequel, Rise of the Silver Surfer, are considered the best of the lot. Yet even they are regarded poorly by modern superhero movie standards. They are also regarded poorly by Fantastic Four fans and, ironically, Doctor Doom fans like Ben Mendelsohn, who are quick to point out that none of the released Fantastic Four films accurately adapted the conflicted character from the comics.
Regardless, the baggage of the failed Fantastic Four films of the past is a burden on the modern attempts to bring the team into the MCU, as is the public perception that the team is dull or just plain suck. Marvel Studios must find some way to defy that perception, focusing on those aspects of the team that made the characters into Marvel Comics mainstays for over six decades. It would also help to bring a comics accurate version of Doctor Doom into the MCU, so they have a worthy foe to fight.
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