Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for The Fantastic Four: First Steps.AMarvel Cinematic Universestar has returned to the franchise inThe Fantastic Four: First Stepsas a new character, and while his original role was good, the MCU hero the actor plays is an improvement. TheMCU’s 2025 moviesintroduced many exciting new heroes and villains to the franchise. That is important, asAvengers: Doomsdayis right around the corner.
The MCU will pull from all its different franchises for the big event movie, which is still being written as filming rages on.The Fantastic Four: First Steps' Marvel Comics connectionsinclude several classic characters from the comics. An important player from theFantastic Four movie’s castis one of them, andhe was played by a returning MCU star.
Ebon Moss-Bachrach Plays A Stellar Version Of The Thing
The MCU Debuts The Definitive Versions Of The Fantastic Four
There have been good and bad adaptations of The Thing. Michael Chiklis' The Thing from the 2000s Fantastic Four movies is a fan-favorite, with the practical suit a pitch-perfect representation of the character. While I liked Jamie Bell’s acting as Ben Grimm in 2015’sFantastic Fourreboot, that version of The Thing was a killer for the military, not the best.
Now, the MCU has introduced its own versions of the Fantastic Four, and Marvel’s First Family could not be better served. After his role inThe Bearmade him a fan-favorite worldwide, Ebon Moss-Bachrach took on the role of The Thing, and he has an emotional arc in the film thatmade me feel for the hero like in the 2000s movies.
Ben Grimm’s Thing
Ebon Moss-Bachrach
Ben Grimm is also quite capable, withThe Fantastic Four: First Stepsmaking him the team’s pilot and showing how he is more than just an incredibly strong character. I loved howthe MCU movie struck a balance between the multiple sides of Ben, even giving The Thing a love interest. There was more than just “It’s Clobberin' Time.”
Ebon Moss-Bachrach’s Marvel Debut Predates The Fantastic Four: First Steps By A Fair Few Years
Netflix’s The Defenders Saga Is Now MCU Canon
While Ebon Moss-Bachrach’s The Thing performance makes it clear that he was born to play the hero, the actor did not make his MCU debut inThe Fantastic Four: First Steps.The Bearstar is an MCU veteran, with Moss-Bachrach havingplayed a key and entertaining role inThe Punisherseason 1, which was released in 2017.
Before they got together again onThe Bear,Moss-Bachrach and Jon Bernthal teamed up in the MCU as Micro and the Punisher, respectively. Micro assisted the anti-hero with technology. Since the character did not appear inThe Punisherseason 2, Moss-Bachrach has since left the role behind, with The Thing becoming a betterMCUfuture afterThe Fantastic Four: First Steps.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Cast
The Fantastic 4: First Steps features Marvel’s First Family navigating their dual roles as superheroes and family members in a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world. They defend Earth from a formidable space god, Galactus, and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer, testing their familial bonds and heroic resolve.
The Punisher
The Punisher stars Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle/The Punisher, who first appeared on Netflix’sDaredevil. Frank is a United States Marine Corps Scout Sniper veteran who is highly skilled in martial arts, stealth tactics, guerrilla warfare, and knows how to use a variety of weapons. The death of his wife and two children led him to take matters into his own hands, and he has been killing criminals indiscriminately ever since. Despite being beloved by fans,The Punisherwas canceled in early 2019. Thankfully for fans of Bernthal’s character, it was announced in 2023 that he would be joining the MCU by appearing inDaredevil: Born Again, starring Charlie Cox.
