Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (titled Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer on home media) is a 2007 American superhero film, and sequel to the 2005 film Fantastic Four. Both films are based on the Fantastic Four comic book and were directed by Tim Story. The film stars Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, and Michael Chiklis as the title characters, with Julian McMahon, Kerry Washington, Andre Braugher, Beau Garrett, Doug Jones and Laurence Fishburne in supporting roles. The plot follows the Fantastic Four (and Doctor Doom) as they confront, and later ally with, the Silver Surfer to save Earth from Galactus. The film was released on June 15, 2007, in North America. Critical reception was mixed-to-negative but also slightly better than its predecessor. The film was a moderate success at the box office, grossing $301.9 million worldwide, but earned less than its predecessor, which grossed $333.5 million worldwide. A third film was planned but ultimately cancelled, which was attributed to factors such as the film's box office disappointment, the conflict between the director and Jessica Alba, and the producers having trouble finding a new director for a planned Silver Surfer spin-off. As such, the franchise ended up in development hell. The series was rebooted in 2015 with the release of Fantastic Four to poor critical and commercial reception. Marvel Studios eventually claimed the film rights of the characters, along with the X-Men and Deadpool, after the acquisition of 21st Century Fox by Disney. Plot A mysterious, meteor-like object enters Earth's atmosphere, tracing cosmic energy causing fluxes in weather and power outages, and creating mysterious craters. The government approaches Reed Richards to track the movements of the object. Reed and Susan Storm prepare for their wedding amidst huge media hush and publicity. As the wedding begins, Reed's systems detect the phenomenon approaching New York City. Johnny Storm pursues the object, finding that it is a silver humanoid on a flying surf board. He confronts the Surfer, but is overpowered. Later, when Susan tries to check on Johnny after becoming weakened, their powers switch; when they touch again their powers revert. Reed's examination of Johnny reveals that exposure to the Surfer has set Johnny's molecular structure in passive flux, allowing him to switch powers with his teammates through physical contact. Tracing the cosmic energy of the Surfer, Reed discovers that a series of planets the Surfer visited previously had all been destroyed. Reed determines that the next crater will appear in London, and the team travels there. They arrive too late to stop the crater, and the Thames drains into it. This also damages the London Eye, but the team manage to save it from collapsing. The military has the Four reluctantly work with Victor Von Doom, having been freed from his statue-like state from the Surfer's energy passing over Latveria, and his body healed during an encounter with the Surfer in the Russell Glacier. Deducing that the Surfer's board is the source of his power, Reed develops