Kevin Smith disclosed in a recent interview with ET Canada that he would like a role in MCU’s upcoming Fantastic Four film.
Smith, who was talking about all things Marvel to the news outlet, explained that he didn’t want to be a hero but rather make a small cameo, like Willie Lumpkin. Lumpkin was a mailman that was first introduced in the comics back in 1963 and ultimately made appearances in the 2005 and 2007 films. He was formerly portrayed by the late Stan Lee.
“As we’re heading into Fantastic Four world soon, Willie Lumpkin, the mailman who Stan [Lee] played in the other Fantastic Four movies. That’s a character who doesn’t get into any trouble. He pops in, delivers the mail. Maybe he gets involved in an adventure here or there. That’s my speed. If Kevin Feige was like, ‘We need you to pull a Lumpkin for us,’ I would pull a Lumpkin all damn day. Which sounds way dirtier than I meant it. But no hero.“
Fantastic Four is about a group of astronauts gaining superpowers after being exposed to cosmic radiation. The four have to ultimately use those powers to defeat their enemy Doctor Victor Von Doom. The film’s 2005 adaptation, which starred Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, and Michale Chiklis, was a commercial success and brought in $333.5 million globally. The sequel Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer, which also did very well in theaters, was later released in 2007.
Despite having a successful franchise no other movie was created, until the 2015 reboot with an entirely different cast. The remake starred Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan, Kate Mara, and Jamie Bell. It unfortunately didn’t reap the benefits of the first two films and was panned by fans and critics alike.
In 2019, after Disney acquired the rights to Fantastic Four following a debacle with 21st Century Fox and Sony Pictures, President of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige announced during San Diego’s Comic-Con that a new film was in progress.
Last month, there were rumors that the project may be delayed because of the film’s director John Watts securing another job. Since then there has not been any updates regarding the potential reboot.
