Chris Columbus reveals firing from 2005 Fantastic Four after disputes over concept art and creative direction

Chris Columbus, director of blockbusters such as Home Alone, Mrs. Doubtfire, and the first two Harry Potter films, says he was dismissed from 20th Century Fox’s 2005 Fantastic Four after raising concerns about its creative approach. Although credited as an executive producer, Columbus told the Fade to Black podcast that he “had nothing to do with” the final movie once the studio let him go.

Columbus explained that he had worked on early drafts and met with the director to share ideas. He suggested the film’s concept art should better capture the spirit of Fantastic Four co-creator Jack Kirby and the Silver Age of Marvel Comics. “I left that meeting and on the way back from my house I got a call from the head of 20th Century Fox saying I was fired and had too much of an opinion,” he recalled.

At the time, Columbus was pursuing projects in the superhero genre, having written a Daredevil script and shown interest in Spider-Man. But being removed from Fantastic Four left him discouraged. “It probably soured me a little from the genre,” he admitted. Today, he has no plans to return to comic book films, noting that movies like Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 2 and Matt Reeves’ The Batman proved the genre is thriving without him.

Columbus also clashed with Fox over how to portray Ben Grimm/The Thing, arguing that only CGI could properly capture the character’s size. The studio opted for a practical approach. Ultimately, Tim Story directed Fantastic Four, starring Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, and Michael Chiklis. The film earned $333 million worldwide but was panned by critics. Chiklis, however, recently told Collider that the films were “very underrated” and more beloved by audiences than reviews suggested.