Josh Trank has gained a lot of infamy among comic book movie fans for not just making his critically and commercially unsuccessful take on Fantastic Four back in 2015, but for his general attitude toward comic book movies, which he disparaged last year in a Tweet while comparing them to Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman. Now, Trank has revealed in an interview that the source of his bitterness was his own time spent making movies within the genre, and the mixed results that followed.
“What I tried to do with Fantastic Four was so arrogant for somebody who hadn’t really gotten the handle of his own skill set as a filmmaker to do that kind of stuff with it. I can definitely watch those movies now, enjoy them and be separated from them. At the beginning, five years ago, I just felt bitter for very obvious reasons. I think it’s important to be honest with yourself and admit that. I know a lot of people who you can see it in their eyes that that’s how they feel – the way that I was feeling – but they would never say it.”
Josh Trank was seen as a rising talent when he signed on to make Fantastic Four, and the resulting struggles with the studio over his vision for the movie resulted in a jumbled mess that bombed at the box office and was torn apart by critics. The hangover from that experience made Trank feel angry towards other filmmakers who were able to be more successful within the genre.
Now, I’m able to enjoy them. I definitely felt bitter right when Fantastic Four came out, and it was a bitterness toward that genre. I felt very bitter, and I felt outcasted from a group of cool filmmakers that are making those movies in a successful way. I probably felt bitter toward people who I have enormous respect for like James Gunn, who was miraculously able to make Guardians of the Galaxy both a massive four-quadrant crowd pleaser but at the same time, a very personal, auteur-istic, idiosyncratic and crazy film. I just felt bitter toward all of that.
Now Trank has a new attitude towards superhero movies, and his own time spent making them, so that he is able to appreciate what other filmmakers have managed to achieve within the genre, even if their films are far removed from his persona vision for a superhero movie.
I obviously loved what I was doing at the time and thought I was onto something, but when I take a look back, I’m able to, as a film man, remove myself and enjoy the works of James Gunn and Zack Snyder … Zack Snyder is a visual genius and clearly he has a very passionate fan base, so it’s not like it’s not spoken of enough, but I think he’s incredible. These are filmmakers who I just am really inspired by, such as Ryan Coogler and what he did with Black Panther. I can definitely watch those movies now, enjoy them and be separated from them.
Lesson learned and past demons put to rest, Trank is now gearing up for the release of his new film Capone, featuring Tom Hardy in the lead role as the gangster Al Capone in the last days of his life, struggling with illness as he looks back on his violently colorful past. This news first appeared at The Hollywood Reporter.