Marvel casting a box office poison star in ‘Fantastic Four’ would at least provide a ready-made excuse if it bombs

Thanks to the latest speculation to sweep the internet, optimists are taking a rumor and running with it as confirmation that Marvel Studios has finally settled on a principal cast for the long-gestating Fantastic Four reboot.

Of course, it probably shouldn’t need to be pointed out that it’s best not to take anything at face value until it comes directly from the studio, but that hasn’t stopped the daydreamers from fantasizing about what WandaVision director Matt Shakman’s blockbuster could end up looking like when it finally comes to theaters in February of 2025.

However, one of the four names is an ominous omen all by herself, and potentially a harbinger of doom that the MCU’s Fantastic Four could be on course to mimic three of its four predecessors and under-perform in theaters. Why? Because her name is Margot Robbie, and she’s gained a reputation for being box office poison.

Let’s not overlook the fact that she’s a two-time Academy Award-nominated, hugely talented, massively successful, and eminently popular star, but her recent commercial history makes for disastrous reading. Robbie took top billing in Birds of Prey and The Suicide Squad, second billing in Babylon, and third billing in Amsterdam, all of which crashed and burned horrendously.

The fact that two of them just so happened to be comic book adaptations is a startling coincidence, but there’s nothing to worry about if you don’t believe in curses. If you do, though, then hiring an A-lister with a litany of money-losing failures under their belt is worrisome, especially when the MCU’s reputation is nowhere near as bulletproof as it was even a couple of years ago.