Michael B. Jordan in talks to play Johnny Storm in 'Fantastic Four' reboot?

While much of the superhero movie attention last year was focused on The Dark Knight Rises and The Avengers, it can be argued that Josh Tank's Chronicle was the biggest surprise of them all. Not based on any particular comic, the film presented a realistic take on the origin of a hero, and the forces that shape one into a villain. It's also proven to be the launching pad for a number of promising careers, with Trank, Dane DeHaan, and co-star Michael B. Jordan going on to much bigger things. As Trank begins putting together the pieces to his Fantastic Four reboot, he may be turning to Jordan to take on a member of Marvel's "First Family".

Jordan is reportedly in contention to play Johnny "The Human Torch" Storm in the Fantastic Four relaunch, a decision that will no doubt cause some to rip their hair out. Hey, if they whined about Idris Elba as Heimdall in Thor, can you imagine what those folks will say about Jordan playing a popular (and very white) character like The Human Torch? The rumor comes a day after Girls star Allison Williams was shortlisted for the role of Johnny Storm's sister, the Invisible Woman. This would seem to suggest a major change in the connection between the Storms because...well, nobody's going to mistake Jordan and Williams for siblings. Jordan has apparently taken a number of meetings with 20th Century Fox, and based on his past history with Trank it seems like a move that makes sense. Plus, Jordan has been red hot since his acclaimed performance in the Sundance hit, Fruitvale Station, which took home two awards at the festival earlier this year.

Between this, Anthony Mackie as Falcon, and talks of Chadwick Boseman possibly taking on Marvel's Black Panther, we're seeing a new wave of African-American actors making an impact on the world of comic book movies. And it makes me wonder if Warner Bros. ever gets their shit together, could we possibly see a John Stewart Green Lantern? *fingers crossed*

Produced by Matthew Vaughn and written by Seth Grahame-Smith, Fantastic Four is slated for March 6th 2015. [TheWrap]