Fox’s reboot of the Fantastic Four — one that was supposed to eventually lead to an X-Men/Fantastic Four crossover movie — was plagued by production problems and lack of fan interest based on the rumored direction. Though it did decent business overseas, the movie tanked at the U.S. box office, which guarantees that Fox’s crossover dreams are kaput. On top of that, in an interview with IGN Toby Kebbell, who played the film’s villain Dr. Doom, admits that he understands fans’ lack of interest and speculates how a bomb like Fantastic Four might hurt his career.
Kebbell acknowledged fan dissatisfaction with the movie in an interview with IGN, saying, “I was disappointed, but the fans aren’t wrong. The fans want what they want to see and if they don’t get satisfaction, they let you know. And I appreciate that as a performer. My job is to come in and perform as best I can, and hopefully be directed in that path, and I felt like I was. I felt like the film was going to go well. It didn’t turn out that the fans felt that way, so the reaction is honest and I can only appreciate honesty.”
The actor also hints at the production problems on set by adding, “I don’t know if I learned anything from [playing] Doom, apart from, perhaps, when I see something I don’t agree with, to voice that immediately.”
He elaborates how it’s important for him to ensure that the movies he appears in are as best as possible because that affects future work he will be offered. He says, “As an actor, you’re very conscious that your career is at stake with each job, especially on these larger productions. A film like that comes out, and I’m being sent maybe four scripts in a week, and those scripts go to zero when it doesn’t come out successful, so that actively affects my career.”
Kebbell was marvelous as Koba in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (also for Fox), so he probably won’t be hurting much for work. Still, it’s understandable why an actor on his level would be so concerned with such a headline-making Bond.
