Film-maker suggests version of critically-reviled superhero epic screening in cinemas is not his own cut in swiftly-deleted tweet

Fantastic Four director Josh Trank has distanced himself from the critically reviled superhero epic by claiming the existence of a separate personal cut which audiences will probably never see.

20th Century Fox’s latest attempt to bring the Marvel Comics tale to the big screen, which hits cinemas this weekend, has been the subject of negative buzz for months. Low points included reports of expensive reshoots and the admission by key cast members that they had not seen the movie and did not expect it to do well with critics, as well as at least one excruciatingly awkward interview. Earlier in production, Chronicle’s Michael B Jordan was forced to defend his own casting as Johnny Storm/Human Torch, a white man in the comics reimagined as an African-American on screen.

In a swiftly deleted tweet Trank appeared to distance himself from the negativity surrounding the film, which currently boasts a woeful 9% “rotten” rating on the critical aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, making it the the year’s worst-reviewed superhero movie.

Fantastic Four review - a dawdling indie drama dressed up in superhero garb Read more

He wrote: “A year ago I had a fantastic version of this. And it would’ve received great reviews. You’ll probably never see it. That’s reality though.”

The Guardian’s Henry Barnes described Trank’s film as a “dawdling indie drama, gussied up in superhero garb”, while others have been even less kind. The New York Times’s AO Scott, referencing superpowers gained by Kate Mara’s Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, wrote: “Her character also has the power to make other things vanish. I would say she should have exercised it on this movie, but in a week or two that should take care of itself.”

The Rolling Stone’s Pete Travers, meanwhile, focused on Miles Teller’s turn as gifted scientist Reed Richards/Mr Fantastic. “Everyone pretends to be excited by Reed’s invention, a teleporter which can transport a monkey into an alternate dimension,” he wrote. “Since this movie has no dimension at all, everyone is envious of the monkey.”

It remains to be seen whether negative reviews for Fantastic Four damage the film’s box office this weekend. Fox maintained a critical embargo until the week of the movie’s release in a ploy cynics have suggested was designed to limit negative coverage. US trade bible the Hollywood Reporter is predicting the $120m film will open at No 1 with around $40m in the US, with the film likely to drop off dramatically in its second week once word of mouth kicks in.