I don’t think having a flying car or a lovable robot could have saved Josh Trank’s Fantastic Four movie, but by god, they definitely couldn’t have hurt. As it turns out, both H.E.R.B.I.E. and the FantastiCar were almost included in the film, and here’s the concept art to prove it.
The art comes from concept artist Fausto De Martini, because Trank wanted both the robot and the flying car in the movie. According to Entertainment Weekly, it was Fox that shot down the idea of adding these wackier, more comic book-y elements to the film, so phooey on them.
So at first glance, I recoiled at horror when I saw the FantastiVan as being awful, but the more I think about it, the more I think the foremost family of the Marvel universe should totally be traveling together in a flying ‘70s van. It’s goofy as hell, but it’s also kind of perfect for them. And sure, it’s definitely silly, but if the Fantastic Four movie needed anything it was a major dose of silliness.
[Via ComicBook.com]
Contact the author at rob@io9.com.