The Fantastic Four: First Steps

Posted in: Marvel Studios, Movies | Tagged: the fantastic four: first steps

Playing a character created using VFX was one of the things that made Ben Grimm in The Fantastic Four: First Steps an “attractive” role for Ebon Moss-Bachrach.

Article Summary

Ebon Moss-Bachrach discusses playing Ben Grimm/The Thing in The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

Portraying a VFX-heavy character was a major draw for Moss-Bachrach.

The actor describes Ben Grimm as having a “rock exterior” but emphasizes his deeply human qualities.

The marketing for The Fantastic Four: First Steps will likely kick into overdrive soon.

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Marvel’s First Family is coming to the big screen this July, and it’s looking like it could be one of the bigger movies in an already massive summer blockbuster season. We’ve seen some footage, but now that June is right around the corner, you know Marvel is about to go nuts with the marketing for this one. They aren’t having the best year, and to say they need this to do well, critically and commercially, would be an understatement. It’s good that they managed to assemble an extremely talented group of people, some actors seemingly at career heights, and others who look like they’re about to take off like a rocket. Ebon Moss-Bachrach was already on everyone’s radar because of The Bear, but becoming Ben Grimm, aka The Thing, is going to be something completely different. Moss-Bachrach spoke to the Financial Times about this massive film, which is right around the corner.

“I was excited to see the trailer. People come up to me on the street or at the airports, and tell me they’re excited to see the movie. … Potentially, it could be a really good movie,” he explained. “It could be a great summer family-tentpole film.”

We’ve seen a couple of different versions of Ben Grimm on the big screen, but The Fantastic Four: First Steps is bringing the character to life largely through VFX. Actors are either very into that sort of thing or they are very much not, and it sounds like Moss-Bachrach is one of the latter. Moss-Bachrach explained that the ‘invisibility’ that comes with being a character made entirely of VHX “was definitely one of the attractive things about this job, that I am obscured, in a way.”

If anyone had any doubts about Moss-Bachrach’s casting, when describing Ben, he replied, “I would say maybe he just has a sort of rock exterior, but he’s a very human person.” Well, he’s not wrong.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps – Summary, Cast List, Release Date

Set against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, Marvel Studios‘ The Fantastic Four: First Steps introduces Marvel’s First Family—Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm/Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm/Human Torch (Joseph Quinn) and Ben Grimm/The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) as they face their most daunting challenge yet. Forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, they must defend Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer (Julia Garner). And if Galactus’ plan to devour the entire planet and everyone on it weren’t bad enough, it suddenly gets very personal. The action adventure also stars Paul Walter Hauser, John Malkovich, Natasha Lyonne, and Sarah Niles. Directed by Matt Shakman, produced by Kevin Feige, and executive produced by Louis D’Esposito, Grant Curtis, and Tim Lewis, Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: First Steps opens in theaters July 25, 2025.