In the history of Fantastic Four
movies, there have been a lot of challenges around getting characters like The Thing right. Marvel’s First Family may have been some of the earliest heroes to come out of the comics, but they are also among the few to have gone so long without getting an adaptation. Comic book heroes like Superman debuted on the page in 1938, and received a screen adaptation 10 years later in 1948. Captain America debuted in 1941, and just three years later, he appeared on the big screen in 1944, decades before the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)
.
However, while heroes like Batman, Hulk, Spider-Man, and many other heroes who found success in comics early, all received adaptations, The Fantastic Four took many years to get an official adaptation. Debuting in comics in 1961, the first official theatrical release did not arrive until 44 years later, and even then, fans took issue with the way their powers were brought to life on-screen. Unfortunately, these were extremely challenging heroes to adapt for the screen, and it has taken a long time to get it right.
4
The Thing That Never Got To See The Big Screen
The Fantastic Four (1994)
While the first official Fantastic Four movie came out in 2005, the rights for the heroes to be adapted were actually purchased more than a decade earlier. Marvel had sold the film rights to many of their most popular characters, including the FF team, but development was evidently less fruitful for some projects compared to others. However, the interesting thing about the 1994 The Fantastic Four movie is that the entire film was sH๏τ, edited, and finished, before the theatrical debut was shelved.
Unfortunately for the cast and crew that worked on the low-budget movie, it was made as a way to keep hold of the rights, and appears to have never been intended for wide release, though today, the film is easily found online in its entirety. And of course, with such a miniscule budget, the depiction of The Thing was subpar. Despite the financial constraints, this did offer some degree of comic book accuracy, it just lacked movement, emotion, or a real sense of character.
3
The Thing Gets A CGI Monster Makeover
Fant4stic (2015)
In 2015, Fantastic Four was rebooted to much dismay for fans of the earlier films from 2005 and the sequel in 2007. However, Fant4stic did appear to have some things going for it with a larger budget, a star-studded cast, and Josh Trank directing. Despite this, the movie ended up a confusing and choppy mess with story beats out of order, and bizarre choices that appear to have been pushed by studio execs.
The movie leaned into body horror for Ben Grimm, and turned him into a giant monster made of rock, rather than a person trapped in a severely altered body.
Whoever is to blame, there is no getting away from the fact that this version of The Thing is easily one of the worst to ever appear in live-action. The movie leaned into body horror for Ben Grimm, and turned him into a giant monster made of rock, rather than a person trapped in a severely altered body. While it brought something new to the character, it seemed to leave everything of note behind, and ultimately totally miss the point of Grimm’s journey as The Thing.
2
Practical Effects & Make-Up Went A Long Way To Making Michael Chiklis The Thing
Fantastic Four (2005)
The 2005 version of The Thing played by Michael Chiklis got a lot of criticism due to the choice to use practical effects and make-up, but looking back, it’s worth noting that this was one of the best versions of the character to date. Where the 1994 version felt lifeless and dull, and the 2015 version is a monster devoid of any humanity, this version actually brought The Thing to life. Yes, it’s missing the eyebrows, and it can come across as a little goofy at times, but capturing the fact that The Thing is human, despite the way his body now looks, is essential, and Fantastic Four did that.
Getting emotion, movement, and a real sense of Ben Grimm under his rough exterior was a revelation, and one that took the character from the pages of the comics into the real world. It could have been further refined, and unfortunately, the CGI was not quite up to the task as seen in scenes where Mister Fantastic stretches, but it was definitely moving in the right direction.
1
Comic Accuracy, Refined CGI, & Experience Make This Modern Thing A True Marvel
Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025)
Fantastic Four: First Steps did a lot to ensure their portrayal of The Thing was pitch perfect. They used large practical models and suits to provide effective references on set, they created a style and personality that reflects the comics, and they brought The Thing to life with CGI. The MCU has learned a lot about CGI over the last 10 years, with fully CGI characters like Thanos blowing fans away due to their incredible realism despite being a large purple alien. And when Korg arrived in Thor: Ragnarok, it provided a testing ground to make an emotive and vibrant rock creature that comes to life.
Now, the MCU has combined that knowledge and experience, along with their resources to create a version of The Thing that is not only comic accurate, but it feels genuinely alive, in addition to being completely out of this world. It’s a rock monster, with piercing blue eyes, that has expressive features and a huge furrowed brow. This is absolutely The Thing from the comics, and while there are still small things to nitpick about, it’s easily the best version of the hero to date, even ahead of his debut in Fantastic Four: First Steps.
Upcoming MCU Movies
-
Captain America: Brave New World
- Release Date
-
February 14, 2025
Powered by
-
Thunderbolts*
- Release Date
-
May 2, 2025
Powered by
-
The Fantastic Four: First Steps
- Release Date
-
July 25, 2025
Powered by
-
Avengers: Doomsday (2026)
Powered by
-
Spider-Man Homecoming 4
- Release Date
-
July 24, 2026
Powered by
-
Avengers: Secret Wars
- Release Date
-
May 7, 2027
Powered by
