"Fantastic Four" movie update
"Superherohype.com," a must-visit site for Movie Geeks that follows comic book properties in development, has a nifty peice up concerning the now fast-tracked "Fantastic Four" movie's casting.
http://www.superherohype.com/fantasticfour/index.php?id=1180
Okay, so it's just overheard unconfirmed gossip from a German TV broadcast, but nonetheless I'm intrigued. If you didn't click the link, the rumor concerns German muscleman/actor Rolf Moeller being a possible castee for the film.
Don't be surprised if you've never heard of Moeller. He works mainly in his native Germany and made his American debut in the short-lived "Conan the Barbarian" live-action TV series. Americans are most-likely to recognize him as Maximus' (Russel Crowe's) giant Germanic sidekick in "Gladiator" (he was the one who was in charge of testing out the fresh fighters by whacking them with a wooden sword, remember?)
Moeller is BIG, close to seven feet in height and with an imposing physique that groups his muscle-weight heavily in his shoulders, arms, chest and legs.
There's about a million reasons why this rumor is likely bupkis, but I'm intrigued either way. This is one of those good rumors that, even if it isn't true, could be an indication that someone is thinking in the right direction. As I see it, there's really only TWO major FF characters in the "must use" cast Moeller could be up for. (Assuming the casting isn't for, say, "Henchman carrying boxes #5."): Ben Grimm, aka "The Thing," (a hero) or Victor Von Doom, aka "Doctor Doom," (bad guy, duh.)
For non-fans: "Thing" is one of titular 4, "blessed" with super powers when cosmic rays pelt their space ship. While the others get outlandish powers like invisibility, stretchiness or pyrokinesis, Grimm ends up with the more conventional brute super-strength AND a permanent metamorphosis into a hulking "monster" made of orange rocks. Lucky him.
"Doctor Doom" is a gypsy-born scientific genius who becomes the megalomaniacal ruler of a third-world Eastern European dictatorship called Latveria. He hates the FF leader, Reed Richards ("Mr. Fantastic,") who he blames for a college-age lab accident that apparently scarred his face. He hides his face behind a metal mask, complimented by a metal suit and green cloak.
Moeller would be an interesting pick for either: Thing because it'd signal a possible use of practical FX as opposed to GGI to realize him, and Doom because, well, because Moeller is huge and has a thick East German accent.
This is getting interesting.
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