Mike Fleming

EXCLUSIVE:While 20th Century Fox isn’t banging the gong at Comic-Con this year, the studio has big developments on several geek-worthy projects.

* Fox has officially set Chronicle helmer Josh Trank to direct the reboot of Fantastic Four, and the film will be the next Marvel property to be slated for production and dated for release by the studio. Fantastic Four, which will include a new cast, falls into line after The Wolverine sequel that starts production shortly, and the Matthew Vaughn-directed X-Men: First Class, which is also on a fast track. After Trank’s breakthrough with the Fox sleeper hit Chronicle he has been offered everything and attached himself to several projects. But I’m told that Fox expects Fantastic Four to be the next film he directs. It’s scripted by Ashley Miller and Zack Stentz, who also wrote X-Men: First Class and Thor.

Related: ‘Chronicle’ Helmer Josh Trank Takes On ‘Shadow Of The Colossus’ For Sony

* Fox has set Attack The Block helmer Joe Cornish to direct Rust, an E.T.-style story scripted by Aline Brosh McKenna based on the Royden Lepp novel about a struggling farm family and the mysterious robot that shows up and changes their lives. The film is a sci-fi adventure aimed at a family audience, and it is now a priority with Cornish aboard. Simon Kinberg’s Genre Films is producing, with Stephen Christy and P.J. Bickett of Archaia Entertainment exec producing.

Related: David James Kelly Rewriting ‘Daredevil’ Reboot

* Fox is looking for a director on its other major Marvel reboot, after David Slade just dropped out of Daredevil. The studio has a script it likes, but has to get the film into production by fall or contractually risk having the the property revert to Marvel Studios and Disney. Slade could not make the timing work as he is directing the pilot of the series Hannibal.