Take-Two picks up rights to Fantastic 4 sequel

Marvel executive confirms film-based game in the works; Activision out as new partnership with publisher Take-Two Interactive begins.

When it comes to licensed properties, few are as prized as the rights to Marvel Entertainment's roster of superheroes. The comic-book empire is responsible for several top-grossing films and games, including those based on Spider-Man, The Hulk, and X-Men.

According to Marvel's executive vice president David Maisel, the game-rights licensing will continue next year with the sequel to the film Fantastic 4. Maisel confirmed that game adaptations will be released alongside the film next year, but that the team responsible for the original won't be around for the sequel.

During Marvel's earnings call today, an analyst asked Marvel to confirm that Take-Two Interactive was producing the game. Maisel replied, "That is a new [licensing] relationship for that game which will be released with the movie next year. And that game is going on schedule, as well."

Activision, which has been the benefactor of several Marvel licenses, worked with developers Beenox, 7 Studios, and Torus Games on the original Fantastic 4 game. Now, with Iron Man going to Sega and Fantastic 4 going to Take-Two, it appears as though Activision is passing up the rights to superhero games that aren't so super. However, Activision still holds the rights to two Marvel juggernauts--Spider-Man and X-Men.

Marvel did not announce any platforms for the new Fantastic 4 game. Take-Two did not respond to requests for comment as of press time.

53 Comments

  • Maquis_UK

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 9:47 am PT

    Craptastic

  • Platyphyllum

    Posted Nov 7, 2006 7:00 pm PT

    Well, The Fantastic 4 is one of fave group of comic book heroes but I'm not sure about this...I mean I didn't like the FIRST F4 movie but this sequel might be good!

  • Riverwolf007

    Posted Nov 7, 2006 6:17 pm PT

    Personally, i think the parody FF group on Venture Bros. is way more interesting than the actual FF ever were.

  • GrimBee

    Posted Nov 7, 2006 3:56 pm PT

    Activision???!?!?! Borat would be great here to question this, lol.

    Im actually looking forward to fantastic 4 2. It was over hyped last time, but the film was funny when it needed to be, it had a nice not over the top action sequences, and it left it open for the characters to exist in the same world we got to know.

    Heres hoping the 2nd film is awesome, and that the 2nd game doesnt truely suck!

  • jalmodov

    Posted Nov 7, 2006 2:17 pm PT

    I think there's a sliver of hope, both for the movie and the game. The first X-Men movie wasn't that great either, but the sequel was great, and it even made the original more watchable. And the Marvel Ultimate Alliance seem to have turned out well, so maybe Take-Two has taken notice and decides to make a decent game.

  • snakenamedjoe

    Posted Nov 7, 2006 12:02 pm PT

    I don't really like seeing all the rights get split up like this. It could cause problems if companies want to do crossover games. It would be nice if Marvel retained the rights and granted permission to make games on a case by case basis instead of signing a bunch of contracts. I'm just afraid the companies will start fighting over Iron Man making an appearance in an X men game or something.

  • oxymoron1331

    Posted Nov 7, 2006 10:46 am PT

    The sequel is called Rise of the Silver Surfer. Fantastic 4 was one of the only marvel movies that i liked. It was the only comic book movie that did the comic justice. It was corny just like the comics, all of the other marvel comic movies were horrible, except for the punisher.

  • Crew_SK

    Posted Nov 7, 2006 10:27 am PT

    Fantastic Four really sucked but the fact that they want to squirt more money out of a license doesn't surprise me at all. There will always be comic book fan boys to buy this crap.

  • War-Tex

    Posted Nov 7, 2006 6:56 am PT

    i dont know...

  • amogley

    Posted Nov 7, 2006 3:31 am PT

    IMHO it's about time that the games industry stopped getting into bed with the film industry ... so far I cannot recall anything decent coming out of the aforementioned union. Let it go people .. just let it go !

  • 60fps

    Posted Nov 7, 2006 12:10 am PT

    What happened to logic?

    I just played as the F4 in Marvel ultimate Alliance and it was fun as hell. This game doesn't have to be a direct recreation of the movie. It could be like Spider-Man 2 where it's loosly based.

  • alex_ec

    Posted Nov 6, 2006 8:40 pm PT

    this wouldnt be interesting unless when your trying to think with what stupid scuze will jack thompson come to ban this game

  • rbenns2

    Posted Nov 6, 2006 5:48 pm PT

    The fact they're releasing a sequel to a universally panned movie would be surprising - until you remember that Brett Ratner is one of the hottest directors, and Uwe Boll still gets work.

  • nappan

    Posted Nov 6, 2006 5:22 pm PT

    Take Two isn't Rockstar people... any more than MS is Bungie. Take Two could hand this off to a great developer or a lousy one... who knows.

  • snip3rxero

    Posted Nov 6, 2006 4:41 pm PT

    o wow..another sad addition ...is it me or dis the first moive suck really bad /

  • Thorpe89 Site moderator

    Posted Nov 6, 2006 3:32 pm PT

    What!? A sequel?

  • mr_lalli

    Posted Nov 6, 2006 2:59 pm PT

    calling it now take 2 will become the new EA, wiht all their rights and stuff

  • LexLas

    Posted Nov 6, 2006 2:57 pm PT

    You can never go wrong with Jessica Alba, I look forward to part two. Yeah !

  • KeyWii

    Posted Nov 6, 2006 2:35 pm PT

    The movie was bad, the game was worse.

  • comthitnuong

    Posted Nov 6, 2006 2:27 pm PT

    a fantastic 4 sequel doesnt seem necessary...

  • jc_tkml

    Posted Nov 6, 2006 2:27 pm PT

    this might turn into a "hot coffee" scandal Mr. Fantastic's thing growing

  • Ballistic90

    Posted Nov 6, 2006 2:18 pm PT

    Now you can play the Thing and kill hookers, just like in the comic books.

  • CheddarLimbo

    Posted Nov 6, 2006 2:18 pm PT

    Blech. That movie was terrible. I seriously doubt a sequel is going to improve the situation.

  • LordArse

    Posted Nov 6, 2006 2:10 pm PT

    canada?

  • hemakm3

    Posted Nov 6, 2006 2:09 pm PT

    ok.

  • BigC43

    Posted Nov 6, 2006 2:04 pm PT

    Ok, we'll see how that goes...

  • piecake

    Posted Nov 6, 2006 1:55 pm PT

    wow more games YAY!

  • Doolum

    Posted Nov 6, 2006 1:53 pm PT

    even if the movie turns out to be a good one,am still not buying the game..

  • Titanfan2083

    Posted Nov 6, 2006 1:51 pm PT

    those who bought the original game should burn their consoles to rinse the filth of crap from it.............

  • OfficialBed

    Posted Nov 6, 2006 1:42 pm PT

    what a joke, haha

  • REVOLUTIONfreak

    Posted Nov 6, 2006 1:38 pm PT

    great, next thing we know F4 will turn into GTA

  • Poltergeist13

    Posted Nov 6, 2006 1:24 pm PT

    The 1st movie was alright...hopefully the sequel will be better. The Silver Surfer is gonna be in it, can't wait to see that on film.

  • RaiKageRyu

    Posted Nov 6, 2006 1:23 pm PT

    Woot! The Unfantastic Four!

  • robot_chicken32

    Posted Nov 6, 2006 1:21 pm PT

    wow, wonder who's gonna buy it? not me

  • LordAndrew

    Posted Nov 6, 2006 1:21 pm PT

    Do they really want the rights to this? Come on!

  • king-akt

    Posted Nov 6, 2006 1:17 pm PT

    well, at least EA haven't got the rights.

  • Dace67

    Posted Nov 6, 2006 1:16 pm PT

    I won't care about superhero games until I get to go webslinging using the Wii-mote.

  • keinuveye

    Posted Nov 6, 2006 1:15 pm PT

    I can't stand the F4, but I actually enjoyed the movie. At least the characters had some humanity. Great Special effects, too. there's a spin for ya.

    glad i missed the game tho. I'll probably "miss" this one, too.

  • evolutionex

    Posted Nov 6, 2006 1:09 pm PT

    Who cares about Fantastic Four sequel anyways, the movie was lame and did nothing like it should've, and the game was even worse, no one cares about it, Take Two is just wasting it's time on developing crappy games like this. don't you guys have something better to do?

  • AutoTaco

    Posted Nov 6, 2006 1:07 pm PT

    God why are they making a sequel? WHY???

  • jaredgood1

    Posted Nov 6, 2006 1:03 pm PT

    Meh. I love the FF, but I was not interested in the game because the movie was crap. A fine cast of actors, but a pointless script and an inept director took away any enjoyment to be found. It's doubtful that I'll even watch FF2, let alone play the game.

  • UMCP

    Posted Nov 6, 2006 1:00 pm PT

    Ok... u stupid developers, listen. FANTASTIC 4 didn't fail not because of activision did a bad job in making the game. This game shouldn't be made at all.

    What part of "DON"T MAKE" don't you understand?

  • TintedChimes

    Posted Nov 6, 2006 12:57 pm PT

    Please don't buy these games from lame movie rip offs.

  • paradyme777

    Posted Nov 6, 2006 12:56 pm PT

    Hm, they also announced that Ironman will be made along side it's release. Planning as Ironman might be kinda fun but I'm more looking forward to the Superman Returns game.

  • Progn0sticator

    Posted Nov 6, 2006 12:56 pm PT

    When will idiot developers learn to stop making games based on movies and start making new game franchises that may actually be good.

  • matttrd

    Posted Nov 6, 2006 12:50 pm PT

    Yawn

  • KingofTrolls

    Posted Nov 6, 2006 12:49 pm PT

    Crap Game - NEXT

  • blackIceJoe

    Posted Nov 6, 2006 12:46 pm PT

    I hope the game is better then the first. The first one was bad.

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