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Spoilers for "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" to follow.

It's been 17 years overdue, but the Marvel Cinematic Universe finally has its own Fantastic Four. The world, too, finally has a good "Fantastic Four" movie — read /Film's rave review of "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" here.

As in the original Marvel comic books, the McU's Fantastic Four are astronauts who got dosed in cosmic radiation on a spaceflight. The rays transformed their bodies, giving them superpowers by the time they returned to Earth. So, they embraced that change and became superheroes. Unlike many other superheroes, though, the F4 are public fixtures and have no secret identities. As the in-universe "Fantastic Four" cartoon theme song in "First Steps" puts it:

"Sue Storm commands the light

Johnny's flames burn blazing bright

Ben is rocking the world with might

And Reed bends science left and right!"

Director Matt Shakman embraces the pulp and optimism...

It’s no stretch to say that cinematic adaptations of the Fantastic Four have been off to a rocky start. The team has been brought to screen a few times already, with a 1990s film rendered culturally invisible and a 2015 franchise attempt doomed from the beginning. Although 2005’s “Fantastic Four” received a sequel, a planned third film ultimately burst into flames.

That brings us to “The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” the fourth go at bringing Marvel’s First Family to the big screen. Directed by “WandaVision” helmer Matt Shakman, the film introduces the superhero team to the MCU in an alternate retro-futuristic 1960s landscape.

In the film, the team of Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm/The Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm/The Human Torch (Joseph Quinn) and Ben Grimm/The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) face off against the cosmic world-eating being Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and his herald,...

Paving the way for Austin Powers to one day join the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the franchise is rewinding the clock to the 1960s for The Fantastic Four: First Steps. And if prestige cable TV shows are anything to go by, presumably Mr. Fantastic will need to pause battling Galactus in order to down a few glasses of Canadian Club, take an afternoon nap and begin several existential anxiety-inspired extramarital affairs.

Of course, this isn’t the first time that the Fantastic Four have been brought to the big screen. There was the godawful 2015 reboot starring Miles Teller and, before that, two movies in the early 2000s, which confusingly starred Captain America.

But the very first Fantastic Four movie was made way back in 1994 — although it was never actually released.

Produced by B-movie legend Roger Corman, ‘94’s The Fantastic Four was thrown together with a budget of just $1 million, purely so...

There’s a Marvel movie out there most people have never seen — the 1994 Fantastic Four film produced by Roger Corman. It was made in Germany, shot in English, and tells the story of how the superhero team got their powers and fought their first big villain, Doctor Doom. But the movie was never officially released.

This film was mostly created so producer Bernd Eichinger could keep the rights to the Fantastic Four characters. Even though it wasn’t shown in theaters, pirated copies of the movie have been floating around since the mid-90s, and clips have popped up online from time to time.

Recently, Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige teased something exciting. He said the main actors from that lost 1994 Fantastic Four movie will actually appear in the new MCU Fantastic Four film in small cameo roles.

This is a cool nod to the old movie that never saw the light of day.

There’s a very strange chapter in Marvel’s history that most people don’t know about: a Fantastic Four movie made in the early 1990s that was never officially released.

This English-language German film was produced on a shoestring budget and was executive-produced by Roger Corman, known for low-budget movies, and Bernd Eichinger. The main reason for making the movie wasn’t to hit theaters but to keep the film rights to the Fantastic Four characters.

The story followed the classic origin of the team, showing how Reed Richards, Susan Storm, Johnny Storm, Ben Grimm, and Victor Von Doom got their powers and first clashed. Reed and Victor started as college friends trying an experiment involving a comet called Colossus, but things go wrong.

After a crash landing, they gain superpowers: Reed can stretch his body, Susan can turn invisible, Johnny controls fire, and Ben’s skin becomes like stone.

Roger Corman’s Fantastic Four movie was completed in 1994 but never saw an official release in theaters or on home video.

Produced on a shoestring budget of about $1 million by Bernd Eichinger (via Constantin Film) and Roger Corman, the film was reportedly made solely to retain the screen rights to the Fantastic Four characters before they expired.

After Marvel struck a new deal with 20th Century Fox to develop a big-budget adaptation, the studio allegedly paid to shelve the original film permanently.

Today, you can find trailers and footage from the film on YouTube if you're curious about just how low-budget and campy the film truly is.

Still, bootleg copies have circulated for decades, earning the film cult status among fans. Its strange history and underground fame were later explored in the documentary Doomed! The Untold Story of Roger Corman’s The Fantastic Four.

Roger Corman’s unreleased Fantastic Four...

As the Fantastic Four prepare to re-enter movie theaters and officially enter the MCU with The Fantastic Four: First Steps, now seems like as good a time as any to look back at the storied cinematic history of Marvel’s First Family. And by “storied history,” I mostly mean studios cynically producing movies to hold onto the rights rather than because the filmmakers have any particular passion for the characters.

Such is the case with our subject for today, the infamously unreleased 1994 adaptation simply titled The Fantastic Four. Produced as what’s known in the industry as an “ashcan copy” by schlock masters Roger Corman and Bernd Eichinger, it’s become something of a cult oddity in the 31 years since its planned release, with unofficial copies being frequently distributed at conventions and all over the Internet. Is the actual film worth all the trouble? Well, let’s dig in and find out.

Fantastic Four Vs Dr. Doom ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

The Fantastic Four have long been known as Marvel’s “First Family,” yet on the big screen, their journey has been surprisingly uneven. Today, they are set to headline the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase Six, with a huge budget and a talented cast. But long before Disney and even Fox’s 2005 film, Marvel’s first family was already adapted for the big screen. Few know about it because it was a film that never officially saw the light of day.

In 1994, a low-budget live-action Fantastic Four movie was completed. It was directed by Oley Sassone and produced by Roger Corman, a legendary figure known for making films on shoestring budgets. Intended to feature the iconic showdown between the Fantastic Four and Doctor Doom, the film cost roughly $1 million and was shot primarily in Los Angeles, but it was never released.

Why Was Fantastic Four 1994 Shelved?...

We all make mistakes. For most of us, they’re not much more consequential than buying the wrong kind of milk, but in Hollywood, it might be signing onto a seven- or eight-figure project only to realize it’s garbage. Those who can’t just write it off on their taxes sometimes take extreme measures to make sure it never gets seen or at least make the experience as unpleasant as possible. Sometimes, they design it that way from the get-go.

5 Blade: Trinity

Wesley Snipes had some potentially legitimate beef with the producers of Blade: Trinity. He believed other Black actors were the subject of discrimination on the set, suspected the movie’s only purpose was to set up spin-offs for its white stars, and also, it was Blade: Trinity. His reaction, however, might have been a little overboard. He refused to communicate with director David S. Goyer outside of...

Should you need a Fantastic Four fix before the release of the latest reboot of the comic IP, you are in luck. No, we're not talking about the 2015 Josh Trank reboot, nor the 2005 one with Chris Evans. Scheduled for a US premiere on January 19, 1994, the pre-Disney The Fantastic Four was a collaborative effort between legendary filmmaker Roger Corman and Marvel Comics icon Stan Lee. Biding their time, Marvel was launching a suite of franchises just as their rivals DC had. Starring unknowns, packed with janky special effects, and directed by Oley Sassone, a music video director, this project was about as far from Marvel Phase Five as you can get. It's not streaming anywhere. And never will.

The obscure 1994 iteration of Marvel's Fantastic Four comic is remembered fondly by few. According to F4 creator Stan Lee, he and the cast and crew were duped, little more than pawns. After the wrap party,...

For much of the 1980s and 90s, no figure captured the public eye quite like Madonna. The pop star was constantly in the news and generating public interest, whether it was her music, the sexually charged content of her music videos and stage shows, or her high-profile relationships with actors such as Sean Penn and Warren Beatty. The provocative persona that Madonna had so successfully cultivated might have seemed likely to pave the way for a film career. However, titles such as Shanghai Surprise and Swept Away, among others, were met with disdain and mercilessly panned by critics.

Body of Evidence, one of the many erotic thrillers that enjoyed a brief popularity surge during the early 1990s, was met with scathing reviews. Roger Ebert described Body of Evidence as an “excruciatingly incompetent entry,” and the film is still widely regarded as inept and implausible. The plot, which centers around Rebecca Carlson...

At this point, it’s impossible to say World War II films are rare. The world’s most recent global conflict was a dire warning against wanton violence, and its inherent lessons to humanity are (unfortunately) more prescient than ever. Many of these films focus on the mortality of common soldiers, while others highlight the brutality of mechanized warfare and uplift the heroic soldiers who fought and died to give humanity a brief reprieve from the clutches of fascism. However, as with any war, there are also plenty of political thrillers.

One such film, Downfall, was released in 2004 to an abundance of praise, and over 20 years later, it still enjoys a 90% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. However, it’s also one of the most controversial World War II films ever made. By some assessments, its problematic elements are only outpaced by literal wartime propaganda. Others, like historian and professor Hermann Graml,...

Movies get made for a million reasons: Artistic ambition; the allure of a perfect story intersecting with a receptive brain; the urge for two passionate creators to collaborate on something great. And, of course, for money. The pursuit of blockbuster dreams, films that fill thousands of theaters, the adulation of...

The fantasy genre has long captivated audiences with its imaginative worlds, magical creatures, and epic tales of heroism. From timeless classics like The Princess Bride to modern masterpieces like Harry Potter, fantasy films transport viewers to realms where the impossible becomes possible, and the ordinary becomes extraordinary. These movies can ignite the imagination, allowing audiences to escape into worlds filled with wonder, adventure, and magic.

Beyond mere escapism, fantasy films often delve into themes like the battle between good and evil, the journey of self-discovery, and the power of hope and resilience. These iconic fantasy movies resonate on a deeper level, offering entertainment and insight into the human experience. Whether it's the quest of a hero, the enchantment of a mystical world, or the struggle against darkness, beloved fantasy films continue to captivate audiences of all ages. By exploring these universal themes, the fantasy genre has produced some of the...

Australian Film Television and Radio School

Australia’s finest film and television school draws applicants from far and wide with its picturesque Sydney campus and many lecturers with deep ties to the Australian screen industry. Notable alumni include The Power of the Dog Oscar winner Jane Campion and Poor Things screenwriter Tony McNamara and a long list of accomplished craftspeople like Margaret Sixel (editing on Mad Max: Fury Road), David White (sound editing for Mad Max: Fury Road) and Andrew Lesnie (cinematography for The Lord of the Rings). In July, Aftrs also tapped Peter Noble, a local industry veteran of Indigenous background, to serve as director of the school’s First Nations and Outreach program, which develops training pathways for emerging and experienced industry practitioners from Australia’s culturally and racially marginalized groups.

Beijing Film Academy

The de facto USC of the world’s second-largest movie market, the Bfa was...

Films often get shelved due to high costs and lengthy post-production processes, disappointing both industry insiders and fans. Even completed films can face the chopping block, with major studios like Warner Bros. Discovery canceling anticipated releases. Despite negative responses, decisions to shelve films can be final, like in the case of Batgirl and The Mothership.

Plans to release films are often scrapped early on in the filmmaking process, but they're also sometimes shelved when a film is complete or nearly done. Studios opt out of releasing films for various reasons, but the most common are high costs and lengthy post-production processes. While it's not an uncommon practice, it's still unfortunate to see films get canceled. Many of the examples in which completed films were shelved at the last minute involve the cast and crew finding out with the rest of the world.

Recent infamous examples come from Warner Bros. Discovery,...

When audiences watch fantasy films, they look for movies that transport them to otherworldly places filled with magic, mythical creatures, and epic adventures. Some of these films are so innovative and unique that they beckon watchers back over and over again. Whether it's their compelling characters, visually stunning landscapes, or timeless themes of good versus evil, these movies have a lasting appeal that keeps fans coming back for more. They're not just good, they're rewatchable.

From enchanting classics to modern-day blockbusters, these films have earned their place as fan favorites. They only reach such an acclaimed spot by captivating audiences repeatedly, offering new enjoyment and insights with every viewing. Whether it's through intricate world-building, unforgettable performances, or a perfect blend of action and emotion, these movies have stood the test of time as essential rewatchable fantasies.

The NeverEnding Story Is a Timeless Tale of Imagination and Adventure That Resonates With...

Three decades ago, Marvel tried to bury their most infamous film, and to this day, the 1994 live-action adaptation of The Fantastic Four has yet to be released to the public. Thanks to bootleg versions of the film available online, however, it enjoys a dedicated fan base, who consider it a decent (though low-budget) adaptation of the iconic comic book. Those fans include David Lowery, the director of The Green Knight and A Ghost Story, who holds it in higher regard than the big-budget adaptations that came afterward.

Lowery recently appeared in an episode of the "Kim's Video" series on the Alamo Drafthouse YouTube channel, with the theater chain recreating Kim's Video, the iconic New York City movie rental shop, in the lobby of their Downtown Manhattan theater. The original Kim's closed in 2004, but filmmakers and actors visit the reopened Kim's to discuss movies in the YouTube videos. When Lowery visited Kim's,...

Doctor Doom is one of Marvel's most iconic, recognizable and beloved supervillains. Doctor Doom has been played by three previous actors in live-action, and will soon be played by a fourth in the MCU. Joseph Culp, Julian McMahon and Toby Kebbell have all played Doctor Doom, while Robert Downey Jr. has been cast as the McU's Doctor Doom.

As one of Marvel's most iconic supervillains, Doctor Doom is a very coveted live-action role that has been taken on by only a handful of actors, and he will soon be joining the MCU. First seen in Marvel Comics' Fantastic Four #5 back in 1962, Victor Von Doom is one of Marvel's longest-running, most persistent and most dangerous villains. He has been featured as the archenemy of Reed Richards and the Fantastic Four for decades, but he has also taken on the likes of Doctor Strange, Iron Man, the Black Panther, and the X-Men.

Marvel’s First Family assembled at San Diego Comic-Con on Saturday evening. A concept reel for the inaugural “Fantastic Four” installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe was unveiled to Hall H attendees after an introduction by director Matt Shakman, giving fans a taste of the Space Age aesthetic that will be incorporated into the superhero feature. A title was also revealed: “The Fantastic 4: First Steps.”

“We’re doing a retro-future ’60s. Syd Mead was an inspiration. The ’60s, to me, is all about optimism,” Shakman told the audience, expanding on the film’s period setting while referencing the influential designer. “I love the Fantastic Four. I love their power set. We want to be true to the comics but we want to be true to life.”

Shakman then stepped aside to show a video meant to give fans a taste of the flavor of the superhero film. The footage...

Every historical drama bears an awesome responsibility to its real-life subjects, but few films bore a weightier burden than Oliver Hirschbiegel's 2004 masterpiece, Downfall. While it was certainly not the first film to portray Adolf Hitler, it does have the distinction of being the first major German film to tackle the topic, with the legendary Bruno Ganz in the lead role. Hirschbiegel and screenwriter Bernd Eichinger recognized the awesome responsibility that was before them, along with the potential controversy they might face for telling the story of the last days of World War II. The national taboos associated with Hitler had been enough to scare off a generation of filmmakers before them, but rather than shirk the responsibility and give in to tired clichs and cheap caricature, the makers of Downfall deliver one of the most authentically realized historical movies ever made. After 20 years, Downfall remains an extremely important film,...

Culp in costume as Doctor Doom Photo: Provided by Joseph Culp “It’s like a miracle… One million dollars cash to us if we star in a movie,” Reed Richards, a.k.a. Mr. Fantastic, says with a no-nonsense look on his stretchable rubber face.His three blue-costumed team members...

The Fantastic FourPhoto: Uncork’d Entertainment

“It’s like a miracle… One million dollars cash to us if we star in a movie,” Reed Richards, a.k.a. Mr. Fantastic, says with a no-nonsense look on his stretchable rubber face.

His three blue-costumed team members are enthusiastic upon hearing this news.

We have some sad news to share today because it's been confirmed that legendary B-movie filmmaker Roger Corman has passed away at 98. 

He produced and directed hundreds of low-budget movies and was responsible for discovering the likes of Jack Nicholson (Little Shop of Horrors), Martin Scorsese (Boxcar Bertha), Francis Ford Coppola (Dementia 13), and Robert De Niro (Boxcar Bertha). 

Beloved in Hollywood, Corman was praised for hiring women in key executive and creative roles at a time when that sadly wasn't the norm. 

Also of note is the fact that, after producing a movie called The Fast and the Furious in 1955, he made a deal with fellow producer Neal Moritz to exchange the name rights for stock footage, meaning Corman played a small, yet unlikely role, in launching the hit racing/action series in 2001.

Known as "The Pope of Pop Cinema", "The Spiritual Godfather of the New Hollywood", and "The King of Cult,...

We have some sad news to share today because it's been confirmed that legendary B-movie filmmaker Roger Corman has passed away at 98. 

He produced and directed hundreds of low-budget movies and was responsible for discovering the likes of Jack Nicholson (Little Shop of Horrors), Martin Scorsese (Boxcar Bertha), Francis Ford Coppola (Dementia 13), and Robert De Niro (Boxcar Bertha). 

Beloved in Hollywood, Corman was praised for hiring women in key executive and creative roles at a time when that sadly wasn't the norm. 

Also of note is the fact that, after producing a movie called The Fast and the Furious in 1955, he made a deal with fellow producer Neal Moritz to exchange the name rights for stock footage, meaning Corman played a small, yet unlikely role, in launching the hit racing/action series in 2001.

Also known as "The Pope of Pop Cinema", "The Spiritual Godfather of the New Hollywood", and "The King of Cult,...

Filmmaking legend Roger Corman has passed away. His passing follows an impressive career spanning several decades with hundreds of low-budget movies made under his watch.

Per Variety, Corman died on May 9 at his home in Santa Monica, California. He was surrounded by family members at the time of his passing, though no additional details were shared about the manner of his death. Corman was 98 years old.

A statement shared by the family noted, His films were revolutionary and iconoclastic, and captured the spirit of an age. When asked how he would like to be remembered, he said, I was a filmmaker, just that."

Corman is known for his work as a director and producer with hundreds of credits to his name. He excelled with low-budget movies, typically action, horror, and sci-fi, and had developed a strong fan following with the unique feel of his projects. Many major movie stars had...

Clockwise from top left: Vera Drew in The People’s Joker, Sean Connery in Never Say Never Again, and Jay Underwood in Fantastic FourPhoto: Altered Innocence, Screenshot: YouTube, YouTube

We live in a world dominated by intellectual property. Save for Oppenheimer and The Sound Of Freedom, last year’s 10 highest-grossing...

The Hollywood formula of throwing A-list actors in with top directors and writers doesn't always pay off at the box office and has resulted in some of the most colossal flops in cinema history. The right time to kill a potential stinker is in the pre-production phase, but sometimes awful movies get made before the studio realizes they have a very expensive bomb on their hands.

With the kind of money it takes to make a film, studios will release a movie they know is bad in hopes of recouping the investment, but sometimes it makes better business sense to sit on it and take the tax write-off. There have been some big-time movies, with marquee stars and named directors, that were completed, but for a variety of reasons, never released.

The Fantastic Four 1994 Movie Was Not So Fantastic

Related 10 Most Iconic Movies That Bombed at the Box Office From...

German acting legend Hanna Schygulla will be honored this year with a lifetime achievement award at the German Film Awards.

Best known for her work with Rainer Werner Fassbinder, including The Marriage of Maria Braun (1979) Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980), and Lili Marleen (1981), Schygulla’s career has included collaborations with the likes of Wim Wenders (1975’s Wrong Move), Jean-Luc Godard (1982’s Passion) and Fatih Akin (2007’s The Edge of Heaven). More recently, the 80-year-old actress has a scene-stealing cameo in Yorgos Lanthimos’ Oscar-winner Poor Things as Martha von Kurtzroc, the eccentric woman Emma Stone’s character befriends on the cruise ship.

“Hanna Schygulla is an institution of German and European cinema,” said Alexandra Maria Lara, president of the German Film Academy, explaining the decision of the honorary jury. “Through her long-standing collaboration with Rainer Werner Fassbinder, she wrote herself into film history. She became an icon of German auteur cinema with international appeal.

Original Doctor Doom actor Joseph Culp calls for release of 1994 Fantastic Four film, sparking fan interest after decades of mystery. The film, made on a $1 million budget, was never intended for public release, according to co-creator Stan Lee and producer Bernd Eichinger. Marvel Studios founder Avi Arad reportedly acquired rights to 1994 film and ordered its destruction to protect Fantastic Four's reputation.

Joseph Culp, who portrayed Doctor Doom in the unreleased 1994 film The Fantastic Four, has voiced his desire for the film to finally be unveiled to the public, three decades after its intended release.

This plea came in response to a video shared by Twitter user @GodzillaMendoza, which delved into the film's tumultuous history. Culp expressed his appreciation for the video, calling it a "wonderful exposé" and suggesting that the time has come to reveal "the truth about the film" on the 30th anniversary of its original release date,...

Actor Joseph Culp is calling for the release of The Fantastic Four film from 1993.

After Marvel Studios recently announced the cast of its upcoming Fantastic Four reboot, The Fantastic Four. Joseph Culp, the actor who played Doctor Doom in the canceled 1994 film, is calling for the movie's release three decades later. Twitter user @GodzillaMendoza shared a revealing video detailing the behind-the-scenes story of the abandoned The Fantastic Four movie. Culp responded to the video by urging the 1994 film to finally see the light of day. He expressed gratitude to the creator of the video, praising it as a wonderful exposé on the first Fantastic Four. Culp believes that "the truth about the film" should be revealed on the 30th anniversary of the day the film was supposed to be released, May 31.

Related Pedro Pascal Is 'Beyond Excited' to Star in The Fantastic Four Pedro Pascal shared his excitement to be...

Captain America (1990) is the lowest-rated Marvel movie on Rotten Tomatoes, with a critic score of 12%, and many critics citing it as a prime example of a bad superhero film. Audiences were appalled by comic inaccuracies, cheesy script, and low budget, leading to an audience score of only 19% for the movie. Despite a cult following for being so bad it's good, seeing the early Captain America installment makes appreciating the MCU version easier.

While the unfortunate accolade for the worst-rated MCU movie goes to Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, the worst-rated Marvel movie is one made 34 years ago that belongs to an original Avenger. Until MCU Phase 4, the MCU was practically unassailable regarding the Rotten Tomatoes scores, with even the worst-rated movies of the Infinity Saga, Thor: The Dark World and The Incredible Hulk earning 67% apiece. Unfortunately, Eternals and later Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania would score the franchise's first and...

The previous Fantastic Four movies had faced a range of complications the MCU reboot needs to avoid. Issues arose with previous Fantastic Four installments, both in terms of production and behind-the-scenes conflict. The MCU Fantastic Four movie can hopefully learn lessons from its predecessors.

Marvel’s first family has had a dysfunctional history on the big screen - a reality that the MCU Fantastic Four reboot can hopefully alter. It was in 1994 when Reed Richards and company were ready to make their cinematic debut, only for the movie to remain unreleased. Marvel Comics fans finally got a Fantastic Four movie in 2005, which, despite polarizing reactions, spawned the sequel Rise of the Silver Surfer. Hopes for an even better Fantastic Four adaptation came crashing down with Josh Trank’s disastrous 2015 reboot. Now with Disney owning Fox, Marvel’s upcoming Fantastic Four reboot can flip the script.

Each big screen take on...

Top German producer and longtime Constantin exec Martin Moszkowicz has revealed his concerns over “growing anti-Semitism’ in Germany and anger over the muted response from the country’s cultural scene in the wake of the October 7 Hamas terror attacks on Israel.

The Resident Evil producer broached the subject in a recent interview with Munich-based newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung to mark his upcoming departure as chairman of Constantin Film after 10 years in the role, and a total of 30 years at the company. Current Deputy Chairman Oliver Berben will take on the Chairman role from March 1, 2024.

Moszkowicz, whose film and theatre director father survived Auschwitz but lost most his immediate family in the Holocaust, said he had been “outraged” by the silence of the German culture sector in the immediate aftermath of the Hamas attacks, which killed at least 1,139 people, most of them Israeli civilians.

“It was one of the most depressing times I’ve personally experienced,...

Veteran international film executive Martin Moszkowicz will step down as chairman of the executive board of German mini-major Constantin Film after his current contract expires early next year. Deputy chairman Oliver Berben will take over the role.

Moszkowicz, who has overseen the production of the Resident Evil and Mortal Instruments franchises at Constantin will stay on as a producer with the Munich-based outfit after his contract as chairman runs out on Feb. 29, 2024. Moszkowicz has been part of Constantin’s management since 1990 and took over as chairman in 2014.

One of the most important figures in the European film scene, Moszkowicz has helped build up the company into a local giant — with such blockbuster German franchises as the Fack Ju Goethe trilogy of high school comedies — and a major international player, producing English-language titles including video game adaptation Monster Hunter, the family feature Black Beauty and the Mads Mikkelsen action thriller Polar.

Respected German industry veteran Martin Moszkowicz is stepping down as chairman of Resident Evil producer Constantin Film.

The independent film and TV production company announced that Moszkowicz will let his contract expire as planned and at his own request on February 29, 2024. He will continue to work as a producer for Constantin Film from March 1, 2024.

Current Deputy Chairman Oliver Berben has been appointed as his replacement in the chairman role with effect as of March 1 2024. In other board news, Hanns Beese has extended his contract.

“We are very grateful to Martin Moszkowicz for his many years of professional and loyal leadership and cooperation. Under his guidance, Constantin Film has developed sustainably into one of the most successful independent film and television production companies in Europe,” said Bernhard Burgener, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Constantin Film.

“We wish him the very best for his future and...

Martin Moszkowicz is to step down as chairman of the executive board of Constantin Film, the producer of the “Resident Evil” franchise and one of Germany’s leading distributors, with deputy chairman Oliver Berben taking over the role.

At his own request, Moszkowicz is to let his contract expire on Feb. 29, 2024, and he will then continue to work as a producer for Constantin Film from March 1, 2024. The company’s supervisory board has approved his request and has appointed Berben to be chairman of the executive board as of March 1, 2024. Additionally, Hanns Beese, the member of the board in charge of finance, has extended his contract.

Moszkowicz is one of the leading producers in the independent film and television sectors worldwide. Constantin Film has achieved major successes on his watch and has established itself as a leading media company both at home and abroad.

“We are very grateful to Martin Moszkowicz...

George A. Romero's planned Resident Evil movie sounds like B-movie heaven, but it may not have been the adaptation fans wanted either. The zombie genre was essentially deceased itself during the '90s, with only a handful of notable examples being produced. The success of Resident Evil and The House Of The Dead games brought the undead back to the mainstream, and the success of the former was so undeniable a movie version was all but a given. Soon after it was announced, George Romero (Dawn Of The Dead) was hired to write and direct.

After a long break away from directing movies, Romero saw Resident Evil as a chance to make a commercial project that played to his strengths. He penned several drafts of his Resident Evil movie, but producer Bernd Eichinger's dislike of gore led to clashes between him and the filmmaker, who refused to compromise.

Picture Tree Intl. has picked up international sales duties on “Manta Manta: Legacy,” directed by and starring Til Schweiger. The action comedy is a sequel to the first “Manta, Manta” feature film from 1991, with a market premiere for both movies planned at the Cannes Film Market.

Released by Constantin Film Verleih on March 30, “Manta Manta: Legacy” has reached over 800,000 admissions and was the number one movie in Germany in its opening week.

Produced by Bernd Eichinger, Peter Zenk and Martin Moszkowicz, and directed by Wolfgang Büld, the first movie launched the acting career of Schweiger in a newly reunified Germany. Generating more than 1.2 million theatrical admissions, the film went on to be the most successful film on German commercial television.

“Manta Manta: Legacy” reunites the leading cast of the 1991 original: Schweiger, Tina Ruland (“Ants in the Pants”) and Michael Kessler. The ensemble cast also includes Tim Oliver Schultz, Luna Schweiger,...

Despite their R-ratings, the Milla Jovovich Resident Evil movies were surprisingly light on gore; there's a reason why. Capcom's original Resident Evil popularized the survival horror genre and introduced digital bloodshed to an entire generation of gamers. The original titles were inspired by George A Romero movies like Dawn Of The Dead, and player characters could perish in all manner of gruesome ways, from being eaten by hordes of zombies to decapitation. Their success made a live-action Resident Evil a certainty.

Romero himself was first set to write and direct Resident Evil but was later replaced by Mortal Kombat's Paul W.S. Anderson. Whereas the latter video game adaptation was PG-13 and had to tone down the over-the-top gruesomeness of the arcade games, Resident Evil was an R. This should have eased fan concern about the film, but the fact it focused on a new set of characters and didn't...

Leading German producer and distributor is prepping an ambitious 2023 slate.

One of Germany’s leading production and distribution companies, Constantin Film is delivering one of its “most ambitious” slates of films and series this year, according to executive chairman Martin Moszkowicz.

They include Berlinale gala screening Sun And Concrete (Sonne Und Beton), directed by David Wnendt, which Constantin co-producers and distributes, and Paul W.S. Anderson’s fantasy adventure In The Lost Lands, starring Milla Jovovich and Dave Bautista. Hagen, a big budget feature and six-part series based on the epic German Nibelungen saga, has also started shooting, and Constantin is...

When you think of director Wolfgang Petersen (who passed away last year), the first thing that comes to mind is probably not a movie about ailing Empresses, heroic young boys, and giant, flying luck dragons. After all, a glimpse of Petersen's filmography doesn't really seem to suggest that he's the kind of guy too interested in fantasy movies for children. Much of his resume is studded with impressive hits like 1981's "Das Boot" and 1997's "Air Force One." Both of these films are firmly based in reality and depict both militaristic and political storylines, with "Das Boot" focusing on a German submarine in World War II and "Air Force One" honing in on a terrorist attack aboard the President of the United States' plane with not a single luck dragon is in sight.

Still, there is one movie of Petersen's that, while great, doesn't quite fit with the rest of...

Marvel's "First Family" has had a rocky road to the big screen. Although the characters of Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm have delighted Marvel comic book fans for generations, the "Fantastic Four" has never received the cinematic adaptation that they deserve. Unfortunately, these great characters have never been properly utilized. The "Fantastic Four" comics show what it's like to balance superhero responsibilities with familial duties.

Mr. Fantastic, the Invisible Woman, the Human Torch, and the Thing were brought to life in 1994's "The Fantastic Four," a low-budget film that never received a theatrical release. It wasn't until 2005 that they made it to the big screen when Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, and Michael Chiklis were cast in Tim Story's "Fantastic Four." While the cast has strong chemistry, the film did not strike the right tone. 2007's "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer" at...

When Warner Bros. Discovery announced its much-anticipated Batgirl movie would be shelved, the news sent shockwaves through Hollywood. While the studio eventually expressed concerns the work done by directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah failed to live up to “spectacle that audiences have come to expect from DC fare,” the final decision to leave the film unreleased, despite reportedly having spent upwards of 90 million on it, felt unprecedented in the ever-expanding age of superhero movies.

It was heartbreaking on multiple levels. Adil & Bilall had already proven themselves adept big budget filmmakers on the brilliant Bad Boys for Life while the eye-catching cast included J.K. Simmons getting another go as Commissioner Gordon, Brendan Fraser continuing the “Franaissance” as villain Firefly, and Michael Keaton donning the Batsuit for the first time in nearly two decades. Arguably the saddest aspect, however, was the fact it robbed Leslie Grace of a potentially star-making turn as Barbara Gordon,...

Exclusive: Children’s classic The NeverEnding Story could become the next major fantasy property to get a screen reboot.

While The Rings of Power and House Of The Dragon duke it out for TV ratings, I recently asked one European studio head which fantasy property could be the next IP to pop. Their answer: The NeverEnding Story.

It turns out a handful of streamers and studios, on both sides of the Atlantic, are chasing screen rights to the beloved property by the late German author Michael Ende. We have spoken to multiple interested parties and hear there are multi-million dollar offers on the table. German agency Ava represents the estate but declined to comment.

The NeverEnding Story follows a boy who happens upon a magical book that tells of a young warrior given the task of stopping the Nothing, a dark force [Stranger Things, anyone?], from engulfing the wonderland world of Fantastica.

In his more than three decades at Constantin Film, Martin Moszkowicz has overseen the production of hundreds of films, including such box office successes as “Downfall,” “The Baader Meinhof Complex,” the hugely popular “Fack Ju Go­ehte” films and the hit “Resident Evil” franchise.

This year’s CinemaCon is honoring Constantin’s longtime CEO for his work and continuing success at the global box office.

Speaking to Variety, Moszkowicz looks back at his career and discusses Constantin’s current challenges, its diverse lineup, new productions and expanding film and television activities.

Moszkowicz has headed Germany’s most successful production and distribution group since 2014. While Germany remains its main market, Constantin has had a global outlook since its beginnings, and it was due in part to Moszkowicz’s international experience that he landed his first job at the company.

The late Bernd Eichinger, Constantin’s venerated founder and managing director, recruited...

Anna Gross, a film production executive whose credits include hit ’80s films like “Out of Africa” and “The Neverending Story,” died last week after a long battle with cancer. She was 68.

Born in New York City and a graduate of Columbia University, Gross got her start in the film industry working under famed producer Dino De Laurentiis on such films as Charles Bronson’s famous revenge film “Death Wish” and Sydney Pollack’s “Three Days of the Condor.”

Gross went on to become vice president of production for Pollack’s production banner Mirage Enterprises, helping to develop the 1982 Best Picture nominee “Tootsie” starring Dustin Hoffman and 1985 Best Picture winner “Out of Africa.”

In between those films, Gross oversaw production on the 1984 classic fantasy “The Neverending Story” under German producer Bernd Eichinger. In the ’90s, Gross worked at Constantin Films and Miramax and later started her own business in the 2000s...

Anna Gross, a film executive and producer who worked on films such as “The NeverEnding Story” and “Tootsie,” died of cancer on July 23. She was 68.

Gross’ cousin, Mikie Heilbrun, confirmed her death to Variety. “Everyone’s life she touched she enriched,” Heilbrun wrote in an email. “She made them better more full beings and forever changed them.”

Gross began her career in film in the 1970s with an 8-year stint working for famed Italian producer Dino De Laurentiis, during which she worked on 14 films, including “Death Wish” (1974), “Three Days of the Condor” (1975), “The Shootist” (1976), “King Kong” (1976) and “Ragtime” (1981). Gross then became vice president of production for director Sydney Pollack, working to develop his films “The Electric Horseman” (1979), “Tootsie” (1982) and “Out of Africa” (1985).

Throughout the 1980s, Gross spent time in Germany working with producer Bernd Eichinger, where she oversaw the production on “The NeverEnding Story” (1984), “The Name of the Rose” (1986) and...

Anna Gross, the film executive behind such acclaimed titles as Tootsie and The NeverEnding Story, died on July 23 at her home in Twentynine Palms, CA, following a long battle with cancer. She was 68.

Gross was born in New York City on October 25, 1952. She spent the first eight years of her career working alongside famed Italian producer Dino De Laurentiis. In her time with the Oscar winner, she worked in various capacities on 14 films, including Charles Bronson starrer Death Wish (1974), Sydney Pollack’s Three Days of the Condor (1975), Western The Shootist (1976), King Kong (1976), starring Jeff Bridges and Charles Grodin, and Milos Forman’s Ragtime.

Gross subsequently served as Vice President of Production for Pollack, working on his 1979 film The Electric Horseman and developing two others: 1982’s Tootsie and 1985’s Out of Africa.

Gross spent much of the 1980s working in Germany alongside producer Bernd Eichinger, overseeing production on classic fantasy pic...

Anna Gross, a producer and film executive who collaborated with Dino De Laurentiis, Sydney Pollack, Bernd Eichinger and Vittorio Cecchi Gori, has died. She was 68.

Gross died July 23 of cancer in Twentynine Palms, California, her cousin Mikie Heilbrun told The Hollywood Reporter.

Soon after graduating from Columbia University, Gross began an eight-year stint with De Laurentiis, serving in various capacities on the producer’s films including Death Wish (1974), Three Days of the Condor (1975), King Kong (1976), The Shootist (1976), King of the Gypsies (1978) and Ragtime (1981).

As vp production for Pollack, she worked on the director’s The Electric Horseman (1979) and on ...