The first trailer forThe Fantastic Four: First Stepshas been released, and it met my high expectations for The Thing, who looks much better in theMarvel Cinematic Universethan he did in Fox’s last Fantastic Four film. I’m a big fan of the 2000s Fantastic Four cast. I think most, if not all, actors who were part of those two Fantastic Four movies were a great fit for their roles. Then camethe worst of thelive-action Fantastic Four movies, 2015’sFantastic Four, akaFANT4STIC.
There were quite a few issues with the project, which I hope are not repeated inThe Fantastic Four: First Steps' story. Based on the first trailer for the MCU project, I have to say that it seems likeMarvel Studios understood the assignmentand is going for the more beloved route of the comics than the bumpy road of the team’s other live-action films. After 2015’sFantastic Four, I was afraid of how Marvel would handle The Thing, but now that the trailer was released, I’m happy with how things are working out.
The Fantastic Four: First Step’s Trailer Has Finally Revealed What The Thing Looks Like In The MCU
Marvel Has Done Right By A Beloved Character
After a slightlycontroversial release strategy for the Fantastic Four movie trailer, Marvel Studios released the first extended look at the upcoming movie. I loved the firstThe Fantastic Four: First Stepstrailer. The tone of the film is consistent with the hopeful and fun style of the team’s comics, with the MCU doing a great job of making every character look good. Chief among them is The Thing. Due tothe CGI vs practical effects debate, I believe that a lot more has to go into getting The Thing right than where the other characters are concerned.
In thefirst Fantastic Four movie trailer, Marvel Studios shows the character in several different scenarios. The Thing’s CGI is put opposite both darker and brighter backgrounds, which offer different results. As there are still five months until the movie’s release, the VFX will continue to be polished until then, so any imperfections should be worked out before release. The MCU’s design for The Thing isvery close to how he looked when Ben Grimm debuted in Marvel Comics. Based on how this is the team’s first MCU appearance — set in the 1960s — I think the choice works.
I’m So Happy With How The MCU Has Handled The Thing’s Design
The Perfect Mix Of Emotion And Action
I’m a fan of what I have seen of Ebon Moss-Bachrach’s version of The Thing so far. The Fantastic Four movie managed to make the character have some of the stiffness one would expect from what is essentially a walking statue, but also left room for the character’s emotions to come through. The Thing is happy, sad, determined, and more inThe Fantastic Four: First Steps' trailer.Every nuance in Moss-Bachrach’s performance was perfectly capturedby the crew working on The Thing’s CGI, and the result was quite impressive.
Why Mr Fantastic Is The Only One Whose Powers Are Hidden In The Fantastic Four Trailer
The first trailer for Marvel’s Fantastic Four: First Steps is here, but Pedro Pascal’s Reed Richards is the only hero with hidden powers.
As I thought the design for Michael Chiklis' The Thing from the 2000s Fantastic Four movies was good, I’m happy that Marvel went for a different take on the character that still managed to make him as exciting. Whilea practical The Thing stand-in was spotted whenThe Fantastic Four: First Stepswas filming, actor Ebon Moss-Bachrach has commented on the many animators working on the character’s CGI look, revealing “literally hundreds of people” are involved in the process. With a classic design that makes The Thing look intimidating and endearing at the same time, the MCU has done great.
The MCU Getting The Thing Right Is Even More Crucial After Fox’s Fantastic Four Mishandling
The Latest Fantastic Four Movie’s The Thing Was Not That Good
The main reason I was worried about how The Thing would look in the MCU is because I disliked his design in 2015’sFantastic Four. That movie as a whole was far from ideal, but talking specifically about where Ben Grimm is concerned, I never found Jamie Bell’s look as the rocky character appealing. The CGI did not blend quite as well as it does inThe Fantastic Four: First Steps' trailer, which excels particularly in its darker scenes. I thinkthe MCU has done a better job of making The Thing feel real.
The 2015Fantastic Fourpresented a generic design for The Thing. However, the MCU does the complete opposite, going to one of the character’s most iconic periods in the comics for inspiration. The result, while possibly jarring for those who have only watched the Fantastic Four in movies or animated series, is very exciting to me. It shows that a lot of love was put into the project, with Marvel intending to make it stand out from the rest of the team’s live-action offerings. After Fox’s failure, The Thing’sThe Fantastic Four: First Stepsdesign is a reason to celebrate.
