Fox’s reboot of the Fantastic Four film property has faced an uphill climb when it comes to generating excitement among comic readers and moviegoers. Whereas a major event like Avengers: Age of Ultron can hype up the masses just by being announced, the new take on Marvel’s first family has been subject to one controversy after another, with everything from the narrative to casting decisions causing a stir.

However, once the film’s first trailer was finally released, the outlook on the project turned from rage to cautious optimism, as it painted the film as a character-driven sci-fi drama, looking to update the Fantastic Four premise for a new generation by exploring the boundaries of human discovery. While the preview won some skeptics over, others have expressed distaste with the tone of the new film, which is more serious than the “cartoonish” spin other titles in this genre put on the material.

Those fearing that the reboot is going to be nothing but dire and despair have no reason to fret, as Miles Teller (who plays the new Reed Richards) is telling fans that there will be some bits of humor sprinkled throughout. While speaking with MTV News, the actor was asked about the more grounded take on the characters and how that may impact lighthearted aspects.

Read his quote:

“You should have some laughs in there. You want to see some enjoyment and The Thing better say ‘It’s clobbering time.’ “

Previous comic book films that have skewed towards the “serious” side of the spectrum haven’t always been completely void of comic relief. Though Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy wasn’t exactly a yuck-fest, there were lines of dialogue or brief moments that added some levity to the proceedings, fleshing out the characters and the world. With Nolan’s influence clearly being felt on Fantastic Four, it shouldn’t come as any shock Josh Trank will use this technique for his film.

Frequently, superhero movies tend to stray away from the comics when transitioning from page to screen (Guardians of the Galaxy), it’s still an element that die hards observe under a microscope when determining the merits of a new film (recall Iron Man 3 and the Mandarin). The new Fantastic Four movie is using the “Ultimate” comic line as a guide, but Teller makes it clear that fans shouldn’t be looking for a direct adaptation when they sit down to watch the final product:

“We were looking to kind of put our stamp on it. We were looking to pay respect to the history of the characters but to bring them up to date.”

With decades of publication history that made characters like the Human Torch and the Thing fan-favorites, it makes sense that Trank will try to honor what came before. However, now is as great a time as any to introduce a new spin on the superhero team; after years of declining sales, Marvel is discontinuing the Fantastic Four comic line, illustrating that while the source material has its supporters, it doesn’t exactly resonate with the masses the way others do. This is a way to reinvigorate interest in the brand and show why the team is still relevant in modern society.

Even though Teller says the team is putting their own stamp on it, many would agree that the stamp is very similar to what Fox is doing with their X-Men film series, most notably last year’s Days of Future Past. The Fantastic Four teaser certainly looks like it could be part of the same film universe, and there are rumblings that a crossover between the two is something the studio is exploring. It isn’t happening right now, but Teller would be more than willing to take part:

“I would love to kick it with Wolverine. I don’t know what we would talk about, but…”

Obviously, at this early stage in the game, there aren’t going to be any confirmations of a shared “Fox Marvel Cinematic Universe,” but it’s nice for fans to know Teller would sign on. Right now though, the priority is making sure the new take on Fantastic Four can connect with audiences and emerge as a profitable endeavor on its own, so Fox knows that viewers would love to see Mr. Fantastic and Wolverine together as well. It won’t be long before these questions are answered.

Fantastic Four will hit theaters August 7, 2015.