With "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer" set to give comic book fans another chaotic ride through the world of Marvel Comics' favorite foursome, we thought it was about time we examined how the two earlier Fantastic Four films compared against the source material.

That's right, we said two films. As any self-respecting comic book geek (and how often do you hear that phrase?) could tell you, the 2005 Fantastic Four film was not the first movie depicting Mr. Fantastic, The Invisible Girl, The Human Torch, The Thing and Doctor Doom in action. That honor, dubious as it may be, falls on the unreleased 1994 film, "The Fantastic Four."



The 1994 movie is legendary within fan circles. While some confidently claim the film to be among the worst comic book film adaptations, others feel that the movie captured the spirit of the comic books more effectively than the 2005 film. The only way you can see "The Fantastic Four" is to watch a bootlegged copy -- the movie was never released commercially in any format.

Why was the movie never released? That depends on who you ask. In this article, we'll take a look at this little-known release and how it compares to the big-budget 2005 film.