There was a lot of controversy in 2015 when Josh Trank brought his Fantastic Four movie to big screens and cast Michael B. Jordan as The Human Torch.
However, Jordan proved to be a highlight of an otherwise critically panned movies. Now, in an interview with Geeks of Color, Trank said he wanted The Invisible Woman also to be cast as a black actress.
Josh Trank talks fighting studios for inclusivity
While the news of Trank casting Jordan as Johnny Storm, a character previously played by Chris Evans in previous Fantastic Four movies, was met with backlash.
Many fans hated the idea of changing Storm from the white man that he was for decades to a black man. With that said, Trank proved he was right because Jordan was great in the role.
Jordan previously worked with Trank on Chronicle, an original comic book movie. The actor later went on to become the voice of African Americans in Hollywood when it comes to casting.
Trank, who was 26 at the time, found himself in over his head with Fox, who ended up taking his movie away from him at the end, and he left bitter at how the final film turned out.
In the interview, Trank said he should have left early on when Fox rejected his desire to cast a black actress as Susan Storm, the Invisible Woman.
It would have made sense because Ref E. Cathey was cast as her father Franklin Storm and Michael B. Jordan as her brother. However, Fox wanted a bigger star as Sue and forced the casting of Kate Mara, making her a step-daughter and step-sister.
Trank feels he failed with Fantastic Four
“When you’re dealing with a studio on a massive movie like that, everybody wants to keep an open mind to, like, who the big stars are going to be,” Trank said.
He then said the studio pushed back hard on the idea of a black Sue Storm.
“When I look back on that, I should have just walked when that realization sort of hit me, and I feel embarrassed about that, that I didn’t just out of principle,” Trank said.
Tranks said that he has changed over the years and is now someone who will stand up for what he believes in, and he feels terrible that he failed at that with Fantastic Four.
Josh Trank’s new movie Al Capone is now airing on Netflix.