Miles Teller Opens Up About FANTASTIC FOUR Failure: “One Really Important Person F–ed It All Up”

It’s no secret that Fantastic Four (2015) is one of the biggest flops in superhero movie history. What was meant to be a triumphant reboot for Marvel’s First Family instead became a cautionary tale about studio interference, creative clashes, and behind-the-scenes chaos.

Now, Miles Teller, who played Reed Richards, is finally sharing his thoughts on what went wrong, and who he thinks is to blame.

During a recent interview on SiriusXM, Teller reflected on the infamous production, describing it as an experience that left a mark on everyone involved. When asked whether the cast had any idea that the movie was doomed before it hit theaters, Teller didn’t hold back:

"I think it's unfortunate for that, because so many people worked so hard on that movie. And honestly, maybe there was one really important person who kind of f—ed it all up. Yeah."

Fantastic Four was supposed to mark Teller’s entry into the superhero world, a chance to solidify his place as a leading man in Hollywood. He explained that at the time, the superhero genre felt like the ultimate test for rising actors:

"But no, [...] especially as a young actor, at that time, it's like, 'All right, if you wanna be taken seriously as a leading man, you gotta get on this superhero train.' And that was our chance, and the casting, I thought, was spectacular. I love all those actors."

Unfortunately, things went downhill fast. The film’s production was plagued with issues, and when Teller finally saw the finished version, he knew it was in trouble.

"When I first saw the movie, I remember talking to one of the studio heads, and I was like, 'I think we're in trouble.'"

While Teller didn’t name anyone specifically, it’s hard not to think he was referring to director Josh Trank. Reports have long painted a grim picture of the film’s set, describing an environment full of tension and hostility. According to insiders, Trank clashed with Teller and others during production:

"On set, Trank was said to be abusive and insulting to the crew and cast. The studio hadn't wanted Whiplash star Teller, but Trank had fought for him.

“Then he ended up almost fighting Teller, who has a reputation for sarcasm and recalcitrance while working. At one point, the conflict nearly became physical, with Trank and Teller chest to chest, daring each other to throw the first punch. Neither did."

The situation reportedly extended to Kate Mara, who played Sue Storm. Trank was allegedly unhappy with her casting and made life difficult for her on set. It was reported:

"Sources say his interactions with her at times ranged from cold to cruel."

Years later, Mara herself would describe her experience on the film as “horrible.” To make matters worse, right before Fantastic Four hit theaters, Trank posted a tweet claiming he once had a “fantastic version” of the movie that audiences would never get to see:

"A year ago, I had a fantastic version of this. And it would've received great reviews. You'll probably never see it. That's reality though."

That tweet reportedly cost the studio millions at the box office and cemented the film’s disastrous reputation.

When Fantastic Four finally hit theaters, it scored a miserable 9% on Rotten Tomatoes and earned just $167 million worldwide on a $120 million budget, an embarrassing result, especially in the same year that Avengers: Age of Ultron and Ant-Man dominated the superhero scene.

These days, Teller seems to have moved past the experience, but his comments make it clear the sting of that failure still lingers. Fantastic Four was meant to kick off a new era for Marvel’s First Family, it instead became one of the most notorious superhero misfires ever made.