Michael B. Jordan set to Flame On in Fantastic Four Reborn?

Talk about hot news! It looks like the casting search for 20th Century Fox’s upcoming Fantastic Four Reborn is well underway.

Just the other day, we shared that Allison Williams (Girls) was on the short list for Susan Storm aka Invisible Woman and now we’ve learned that the studio is looking to fill the role of the Human Torch with someone from director Josh Trank’s Chronicle.

According to The Wrap, Michael B. Jordan, who played one of the telekinetic-powered teens in the Sleeper hit, is up for the role. Apparently the actor has already taken multiple meetings, though his involvement reportedly depends on whether or not he has chemistry with the other actors.

Jordan has had breakout roles on TV including on The Wire and Friday Night Lights. Now Jordan is really on fire, after his role in Chronicle and the rave reviews for his dramatic turn in the Sundance sensation Fruitvale Station, which won the festival’s Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award.

So now for the elephant in the room, Johnny Storm in the comics is caucasian, like most of our heroes unfortunately. I’m sure this will be a topic of many a heated discussion amongst Hollywood executives and fans alike. While characters who were caucasian in the comic books have been played by actors of color before, they were always villains or minor roles including Michael Clarke Duncan’s Kingpin in Daredevil, Jamie Foxx’s Electro in The Amazing Spiderman, Kerry Washington’s Alicia Masters in Fantastic Four, and Laurence Fishburnes’s Perry White in Man of Steel.

Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury, Wesley Snipes’ Blade, Don Cheadle’s War Machine and Anthony Mackie’s Falcon in Captain America: The Winter Soldier” are African-American superheroes, but they’re also based on African-American comic book characters.

The other issue is Torch’s sister, Sue Storm, aka Invisible Woman. If Jordan is chosen what would that mean for her. I don’t think it’s that big of a deal especially in this day and age. One of them could be adopted, or they could be half siblings. Why not concentrate on making a good movie instead of such superficial things? Ethnic beauty Jessica Alba played Sue Storm in the original didn’t she? We probably wouldn’t run into this “problem” if we had more minority heroes.

I think he’s a good pick and a lot of the characters he’s played are a bit like Johnny Storm. I think he has the swagger, heart, the fire if you will, to pull it off. When he goes flame on and he’s all fiery will color matter?

What do you think?

Fantastic Four has yet to be greenlit, but the film already has a March 6, 2015 release date. Matthew Vaughn is producing the film, which was written by Jeremy Slater with an assist from Seth Grahame-Smith.