Michael B. Jordan: “I wanted to take on a character that already existed.”

In the superhero drama, “The Fantastic Four,” Michael B. Jordan plays Johnny Storm, a young, hotshot adventure-seeker who is forced to work with his scientist father after he gets in trouble during a street racing accident. Forced to participant in his father’s latest experimental project, he along with four young outsiders, build a teleporting machine, but after a teleporting mission goes disastrously wrong, he is transformed into a human, flying fireball.

“I wanted to go full-on and take on a character that already existed,” says Jordan. “And I think the grounded nature of the film appealed to me because it’s just so relatable; you care about the characters. For me, Johnny Storm is The One. He’s charismatic and very passionate about life. He’s optimistic and wants to be taken very seriously, but he has a light-hearted nature about him, so there’s a balance.”

Jordan (“Fruitvale Station”) is best known for the HBO’s dramatic hit series “The Wire” and NBC’s Emmy winning series “Friday Night Lights.” In 2003, the Newark native became the youngest African American actor to be contracted with the ABC network daytime drama series, “All My Children”, in the role of Reggie, Susan Lucci’s adopted son. He recently wrapped production on his film “Creed,” helmed by his “Fruitvale Station” director Ryan Coogler. The film, which is a spin-off of the “Rocky” franchise which is centered on Apollo Creed’s grandson, will be released November 25.

 Also starring Miles Teller (“Whiplash”), Kate Mara (Netflix’s “House of Cards”) and Jamie Bell (“Billy Elliot,” AMC’s “Turn”) “The Fantastic Four” releases in U.S. theaters Friday.