Though Marvel Studios tends to be a rather insulated operation, with a number of creatives involved in shaping comic book adaptations, perhaps the greatest influence over this enterprise is the actors embracing and reshaping these iconic characters in their own image. Such was the case with Joseph Quinn taking on his new role as Johnny Storm/The Human Torch in “The Fantastic Four: First Steps.” Speaking in a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Quinn shared that he was involved in developing this new interpretation of the beloved flying flame — previously played by Captain America himself, Chris Evans — and how he tried to defy expectations in a way that appealed to modern audiences.
“He’s a man that leads with a lot of bravado, which can be an affront sometimes. But also he’s funny,” said Quinn. “Myself and [Marvel Studios boss] Kevin [Feige] were speaking about previous iterations of him and where we are culturally. He was branded as this womanizing, devil-may-care guy, but is that sexy these days? I don’t think so. This version of Johnny is less callous with other people’s feelings, and hopefully there’s a self-awareness about what’s driving that attention-seeking behavior.”
Adding to the conversation, director Matt Shakman pointed out that despite previous iterations depicting the character as a silly playboy, the source material also details a superhero with great intelligence and self-deprecation. Without it, he might not fit into the dynamic that’s integral to “The Fantastic Four” as a team.
“He is really smart,” Shakman said. “He’s on that spaceship for a reason, and I think sometimes people forget that in various comic stories, he’s been one of the most heroic of them, even if he’s undercutting his heroism at every turn through humor. He’s Sue’s brother, which means they are cut from similar cloth.”
This meant casting Quinn didn’t only involve finding someone who could balance a devil-may-care attitude with high intellect, but also someone who fit into the familial image and feeling Marvel and Disney were trying to create. Shakman described the overall casting as “the No. 1 challenge” involved in making “The Fantastic Four” work, which makes sense when the gang who ends up filling these roles end up being the best of the best across film and television. However, the quality Quinn and co-stars Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach elicit individually wasn’t Shakman’s main concern.
“It wasn’t just a search for who was the best Ben and who was the best Johnny, but also who was the best family? Who was the best married couple? Who were the best siblings and honorary uncle?” he said to EW. “So it’s been very gratifying to see the incredible chemistry that the four of them have had since the beginning.”
“The Fantastic Four: First Steps” releases in theaters July 25 from Marvel Studios and Disney.
