It’s Official: ‘Fantastic Four’ Has a Rachel Zegler Problem

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Hollywood stars learned little from ZeglerGate.

As an ardent admirer, I’d rephrase it like this: “Rachel Zegler, a promising talent, stirred controversy around her Disney film ‘Snow White’ by publicly criticizing the original tale and, subsequently, generating dissent among a significant portion of the nation.

Her remarks garnered unending coverage across various types of media, from traditional outlets to modern platforms. It was impossible to avoid hearing about them. However, this widespread media exposure failed to attract fans to watch the live-action remake.

It’s happening again, but worse.

In the spirit of Zegler’s approach, two of the four principal actors in “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” expressed their criticisms towards the original source material.

In a media interview, Joseph Quinn (also known as Johnny Storm) labeled the character as sexist. He assured film viewers that the upcoming Johnny will embody a more progressive and aware persona.

Quinn commented on Johnny: “He often comes across as quite boisterous, which can be off-putting at times, yet he’s also quite humorous.” Regarding past portrayals of him and the cultural shift, Quinn and Kevin Feige discussed, “Johnny was known for his womanizing ways and carefree attitude, but is that appealing now? I doubt it.

At Comic-Con, the initial sighs of disapproval started, and they intensified significantly when Vanessa Kirby, also known as The Invisible Woman, made critical remarks about the cherished comic book series.

If a character like ’60s Sue appeared today, people might perceive her as rather submissive… However, understanding and portraying the unique symbolism she held for each generation, given the differing gender dynamics, was one of the most rewarding aspects of this process.

Here we woke again.

The remarks didn’t spark as much enthusiasm as a well-known Zegler statement, but they did garner significant interest from individuals who are critical of Hollywood’s reinterpretations of cherished stories. The decision to cast a woman as the Silver Surfer didn’t exactly aid in winning over these skeptics.

Enter Pedro Pascal, the man who plays Reed Richards in the film.

Recently, the popular actor, who is currently featured in Season 2 of “The Last of Us,” has made a strong statement. At the UK premiere of “Thunderbolts,” he wore a T-shirt advocating for trans rights titled “Protect the Dolls.” This actor’s sibling identifies as trans and he has been an active supporter of this community for quite some time.

Expressing myself in this attire is a bold declaration, not intended to cause distress to individuals within the transgender community or any other group. However, I find it crucial to address and debate certain topics, such as the inclusion of trans women in female sports competitions, an issue that demands thoughtful discussion. Similarly, the question surrounding whether children should undergo what’s termed “gender-affirming care” is a complex one that warrants careful consideration.

He wasn’t done.

The actor criticized author J.K. Rowling, who has expressed views against trans women competing alongside biological women, by calling her actions “unacceptable” or “deplorable” on Instagram.

Additionally, he labeled her remarks as “terrible” and “offensive,” as the post he responded to proposed a boycott on everything related to J.K. Rowling.

Pascal’s attacks went viral earlier today.

In my perspective, this film stirred memories of certain statements I’ve made in the past, specifically about supporters of President Trump. I compared their mentality to that of the Nazi ideology.

Even Zegler didn’t go that far.

The upcoming “Fantastic Four” movie, set to release on July 25, is the third try at bringing this Marvel Comics group to life in a feature film. The first attempt back in 2005 managed to produce a sequel in 2007, but many don’t hold those movies in high regard. The more polished 2015 version featuring Miles Teller didn’t resonate with either audiences or critics.

This could be our final attempt to integrate The Thing and its team into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, such statements from key figures associated with the movie don’t exactly boost confidence.

This version maintains the original meaning while using more natural and easy-to-read language.

Zegler could have told them that if they would only listen.

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2025-04-25 00:03