The Fantastic Four Set Photos Reveal First Look at The Thing

Set photos of Marvel’s Fantastic Four: First Steps reboot have revealed a first look at Ben Grimm – aka The Thing!

Fantastic Four: First Steps is currently filming, and even though Marvel Studios wants to keep their Fantastic Four reboot wrapped in secrecy, it’s not possible with the film shooting on outdoor sets. Today new set photos have leaked which reveal our first look at the character design and some surprising practical visual effects (makeup, prosthetics) being used to create Ben Grimm – aka “The Thing” – who is played by The Bear star Ebon Moss-Bachrach. 

CLICK TO VIEW: First Look At The Thing In Fantastic Four Reboot Revealed (Photos)

This set photo revealing The Thing is certainly surprising to see. Early details of Fantastic Four: First Steps pointed to the idea of Moss-Bachrach going the route of Hulk actor Mark Ruffalo, and creating his character through motion-capture performance, which would then be completed through the use of CGI. 

“In the past, they’ve done a suit, Michael Chiklis wore a suit. Apparently, the suit was really uncomfortable. And it’s kind of… We’re past that , I think it’s a little kind of cosplay kind of, you know, it’s a little amateur, that stuff, now with the technology we have,” Moss-Bachrach told Collider back in February. “So yeah, I think it’s mostly performance captured – motion capture, performance capture.”

However, Moss-Bachrach may not have been aware that there would be practical visual effects and makeup that will be used to create the look of The Thing when he said that. We could also be seeing one version of The Thing that will be used in slower scenes of dialogue and such, in order to avoid prolonged shots of CGI close-ups, which threaten to dip into the ‘uncanny valley’ where viewers don’t buy the character. Marvel Studios kind of hit that wall with the She-Hulk Disney+ series, which was often criticized for its CGI rendering of She-Hulk (Tatiana Maslany), so maybe bolstering the creation of MCU Thing with practical effects on top of CGI isn’t a bad thing. 

Fantastic Four: First Steps will star Pedro Pascal (The Last of Us) as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic; Vanessa Kirby (The Crown) as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman; Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Bear) as Ben Grimm/The Thing; and Joseph Quinn (Stranger Things) as Johnny Storm/Human Torch. Julia Garner will appear in the film as Shalla-Bal/Silver Surfer, with Ralph Ineson as Galactus. Paul Walter Hauser, John Malkovich, and Natasha Lyonne will appear in as-yet-unannounced roles. Matt Shakman (WandaVision) will direct the movie.

Fantastic Four has a theatrical release date of July 25, 2025.