The Marvel Cinematic Universe is constantly releasing new content, either in theaters or streaming with a Disney+ subscription. The next highly anticipated upcoming Marvel movie hitting theaters is The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which is being released later this week. Plenty of fans have been re-watching the two Fantastic movies from the early aughts, and now actor Michael Chiklis has responded to all the love he's been getting for his tenure as Ben Grimm/The Thing.
What we know about The Fantastic Four: First Steps is limited for the time being, as the studio is guarding the movie's contents. While that new flick will debut Ebon Moss-Bachrach's version of The Thing, he's following in the big rocky footsteps of some other actors. Chiklis famously played Ben Grimm for two movies in live-action, and took to Twitter to share his response after those projects have been getting lovely lately. In his words:
I want to thank everyone for all the Fantastic Four love this last couple of months during the run up to the new F4 flick. Speaking of which, I want to wish the cast and crew of First Steps the best of luck and success. I admire these actors and look forward to seeing them take on these iconic roles. #F4Forever #TheThing
Talk about a class act. On top of thanking fans who have been re-watching his tenure as The Thing, the Shield actor also took the time to wish the cast of The Fantastic Four: First Steps good luck on the movie's impending release. If anyone knows the work they put in and the pressure involved, it's definitely Chiklis.
Fans waited a long time for the Fantastic Four to finally join the MCU, and Disney's acquisition of 20th Century Fox finally made that a possibility. It's been years since that deal was inked, so moviegoers have had to be particularly patient before seeing this quartet of heroes back on the silver screen. But it's just days away from release, and Chiklis wishes nothing for the best for those involved in the blockbuster.
Early reception for The Fantastic Four: First Steps was positive, and it should be interesting to see how the general public responds to the latest Marvel blockbuster. While recent movies like Thunderbolts* and Deadpool & Wolverine were received well, others like Captain America: Brave New World failed to resonate with audiences.
It seems like the Fantastic Four are going to have a big role in the future of the MCU, so the pressure is on. The Thunderbolts* credit scene teased their arrival, and it's been reported that Pedro Pascal's Reed Richards might lead the Avengers in Doomsday and Secret Wars.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps hits theaters on July 25th as part of the 2025 movie release list, and the team will return in Avengers: Doomsday December 18th, 2026. We'll have to see if the magic of the multiverse allows Chiklis to reprise his role as The Thing sometime in the future.
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