The shortlist of names said to be up for the role as the villain in 20th Century Fox’s The Fantastic Four reboot included Sam Riley (Control), Eddie Redmayne (Les Miserables), Toby Kebbell (Dawn of the Planet of the Apes) and Domhnall Gleeson (About Time) and it just so turns out one of the four won the role.
Variety reports Kebbell, who will next be seen as Koba in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and has already landed a role in Duncan Jones‘ WarCraft, will play a version of the character that appeared in Warren Ellis’ “The Ultimate Fantastic Four”, which saw Victor Van Damme (aka Dr. Doom) as a descendant of Dracula, a boy whose childhood ended when he was 10, formed by his severe, authoritarian father [source].
Kebbell has yet to officially sign, but when he does he’ll be joining Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Bell as the title quartet in the Josh Trank-directed film which will focus on the characters as young men and women.
Meanwhile, previous Human Torch actor, Chris Evans spoke highly of Jordan who will take on the character in this new iteration telling the New York Daily News:
It’s so funny, you almost feel precious over the role that you don’t want someone else to do it. But when you hear someone phenomenal is doing it, it’s very exciting like you almost can’t wait… I couldn’t even give that guy any advice if I wanted, that guy is so good… It’s exciting to see what he’s going to do, because I know he’s going to reinvent it in a way that I could never have imagined… It’s almost like we’re sharing, the character is ours. I feel like I’m connected with him in a way, It’s a nice feeling.
Fox has slated the film for a June 19, 2015 release.
