Chris Columbus Says He Was Fired from 2005's "Fantastic Four" for Having 'Too Much of an Opinion' Despite Working on the Script Tereza ShkurtajAugust 31, 2025 at 3:00 AM Miikka Skaffari/Getty Chris Columbus.
- - Chris Columbus Says He Was Fired from 2005's "Fantastic Four" for Having 'Too Much of an Opinion' Despite Working on the Script
Tereza ShkurtajAugust 31, 2025 at 3:00 AM
Miikka Skaffari/Getty
Chris Columbus. -
Legendary director Chris Columbus launched his career back in 1987 with Adventures in Babysitting
Since then, he has directed over 25 films and written scripts for Steven Spielberg's The Goonies and Young Sherlock Holmes, to name a few
Many fans were shocked to learn that early on in his career, Columbus dreamed of directing a superhero movie - something that never ended up happening
Chris Columbus might be best known for bringing family-friendly magic to the big screen with classics like Home Alone, Mrs. Doubtfire and the first two Harry Potter films, but he once had his sights set on the world of superheroes.
In a recent appearance on the Fade to Black podcast, Columbus revealed that back in 1995, he penned an early script for what would eventually become 2005's Fantastic Four.
However, his superhero dreams were short-lived after he was allegedly fired from the project for having "too much of an opinion."
George Kraychyk/Sony
Matthew Lintz, Steve Switzer, Adam Sandler, Chris Columbus and Mike Carella on the set of 'Pixels.'
Columbus described the project as a "weird situation," explaining that while he had worked on a version of the script and was set to produce the film, many other writers were involved.
When he met with the director, he offered creative input, suggesting that "some of this conceptual art should feel more like Jack Kirby, who was the artist of the Fantastic Four [comics], and feel more like the Silver Age of Marvel."
His ideas, however, weren't well-received – ultimately leading to his dismissal from the project.
On the drive home from the meeting, he allegedly received a call from the head of 20th Century Fox, who told him, "You're fired. You had too much of an opinion."
Nels Israelson/Twentieth Century Fox
'Fantastic Four' cast.
Though Columbus was still credited as an executive producer on the final 2005 film, he made it clear he "had nothing to do with it."
The experience left a bitter taste, causing him to step away from the genre entirely. "I think getting fired on the Fantastic Four films probably soured me a little bit," he admitted.
Nevertheless, Columbus reflected on that missed Marvel opportunity with surprising candor. "I realized I don't have a desire to make those movies anymore because people are doing them better than I could ever imagine at this point in my career," he said on the podcast.
Disney, which acquired 20th Century Fox in 2019, did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.
Peter Mountain
Rupert Grint, Daniel Radcliffe and Chris Columbus on the set of 'Harry Potter.'
Since then, Columbus has channeled his creativity into beloved hits that leaned more on heart, humor, and magic than capes and explosions.
The closest he has come to directing a superhero movie would be his work on Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief.
Now promoting his new Netflix feature, Thursday Murder Club — based on Richard Osman's bestselling 2020 British novel — the 66-year-old revealed to Decider what his secret is to bringing beloved book series to life.
"You have to fall in love with the material," the director told the outlet. "I fell in love with the Harry Potter books and I fell in love with the Thursday Murder Club."
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