Mads Mikkelsen has less than fond memories of his audition for the 2005Â Fantastic Four film."I know a lot of casting is just first impressions -- is there anything there that reminds the producer and the director of the character they're looking for?" Mikkelsen told Vulture. "But I find it rude to ask people to come into a room and say one line while pretending you have 80-foot arms like the rubber man...It was kind of humiliating." The role eventually went to Ioan Gruffudd, who was a good friend of Mikkelsen's.
Tim Story directed the 2005 Fantastic Four and its 2007 sequel, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, which led to 20th Century Fox attempting to reboot the franchise in 2015. The end result was critically panned and flopped at the box office, with director Josh Trank disowning the film. As a result of the Disney/Fox merger, a new reboot is in the works for the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Spider-Man: No Way Home's Jon Watts attached at the helm.
Mikkelsen would eventually join a Marvel movie, portraying the sorcerer Kaecellius in Doctor Strange.