The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Summary
The Fantastic Fourposes a huge challenge for theMCUregarding its live - action depiction of the Thing . After several fail attempts at getting a Fantastic Four movie enfranchisement off the ground , Marvel’sMCUFantastic Fourmovieis under added pressure to hit the nail on the head with their late lively - natural process outing . Marvel ’s trail record of adapting its characters to widespread acclaim is a positive star sign , but by stupefy to its preferred formula , the dealership might hamstring itself .
include theunreleased Fantastic Four motion-picture show of the 1990s , there have been three iterations of the titulary bomber in live - action movies . 2007’sFantastic Four : ascent of the Silver Surferis for the most part believed to be the safe among them , despite realize relatively inadequate reviews . Praise leveled at the movie concerned its kinfolk - well-disposed frivolity and interpersonal chemistry between its characters . Yet it also holds another accolade regarding the disputatious issue of how the straight off recognizable Ben Grimm should be depicted inthe MCU timeline .
The Fantastic Four has starred in four movies , three of them origin story , and two of them reboots . Here ’s which FF movie is actually the best .
The Thing’s Best Live-Action Design Highlights A Problem For The MCU
Appearances of Ben Grimm / The Thing
Release Date
Practical Suit / Motion Capture
Custom image by Ollie Bradley
The Fantastic Four
1994
Practical Suit
The Fantastic Four: First Steps depicts Marvel’s First Family navigating their roles as heroes amidst a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world. As they defend Earth from Galactus and the enigmatic Silver Surfer, they must also uphold the strength of their family bond.
Fantastic Four
2005
Fantastic Four : Rise of the Silver Surfer
2007
2015
Motion Capture
2025
Motion Capture ( reportedly )
2005’sFantastic Fourcontains the right live - action rendering of the Thing to appointment . In fact , Michael Chiklis ' Ben Grimm may be thebest live - action depiction of any Fantastic Four fellow member . This is thanks in no small part to the strikingly memorable design of the affair - though the way that 2015’sFantastic Fourfumbled his design to such an extent that he wait speculative than his co - stars show that his overall appearance is n’t a surefire profits .
Regardless , Chiklis ' appearances across the two movies afforded him a greater opportunity to work - even only with his eye - which is an important factor when dealing with the tortured grapheme of Ben Grimm . His virtual courting was certainly the favorable option at a sentence when win over CGI was still regain its feet , and its almost cartoonish appearance matched the family - well-disposed tone of the pic . This pose a challenge to the MCU , however , asthe better iteration of the Thing does n’t splice with its distinctive MO .
The MCU is in the use of favor movement capture , particularly with characters as with child and strange as the Thing . A individual require only expect atThor : Ragnarokto see how the studio handled a standardised character in Korg and make bold that the MCU will in all likelihood attempt something similar with Ebon Moss - Bachrach ’s Thing . This , at least , is something that the role player would seem to prefer .
What Ebon Moss-Bachrach Has Said About The MCU’s The Thing Design
Ebon Moss - Bachrach was divulge to be portray the iconic Ben Grimm in February 2024 . Shortly thereafter , he was ask about how the studio intends to portray the Thing in live - action , to which Moss - Bachrach respond it was in all likelihood going to be " mostly public presentation captured - question capture , public presentation capture . " This , he insist , is a beneficial affair , confessing that he conceive hard-nosed suits reckon more amateur when compared to the ocular feats that advanced movies can now accomplish .
" We ’re retiring that , I conceive it ’s a fiddling kind of cosplay kind of , you bang , it ’s a little unskilled , that stuff , now with the technology we have . "
Ebon Moss - Bachrach ’s practical outcome opinionshave caused some controversy , especially in light of modern grounds to the reverse . Standout examples of practical effects work well with MCU characters include Drax the Destroyer and Nebula . With that being said , it is also hard to ignore the fact that when Marvel depicts a character through movement capture CGI , it succeeds a lot more than it run out . moreover , Drax and Nebula ’s character designs are arguably much less extravagant than the Thing , whose hulking contour is composed totally of a rock - comparable pelt .
Why The MCU Thing Ideally Shouldn’t Be All CGI Or Practical Effects
In the context of the MCU , depicting the Thing altogether through hard-nosed effects would be jarring when characters like Korg and Hulk ( which the affair is arguably an dental amalgam of ) have already set a precedent . While theMCU is not imperviable to unfit CGI , its cartroad platter of convincingly carry theatrical role via this method outshines the handful of missteps . Besides , the same fate could easily betide a hard-nosed cause that is suboptimally made , as it becomes just as distract as MODOK ’s giant CGI head , suggesting the ripe route might combine the two approaches .
to boot , one of the main critique leveled against Jamie Bell ’s depiction of Ben Grimm concerned his overall , distinctly suit - less design more than the CGI in which he was rendered .
Cast
The Fantastic Four : First Steps depicts Marvel ’s First Family navigate their part as heroes amidst a 1960s - inspired , retro - futuristic world . As they defend Earth from Galactus and the enigmatic Silver Surfer , they must also uphold the strength of their family bond .
