The Fantastic Four: First Steps has been much discussed as of late, given Matt Shakman’s film ushers the titular superhero team into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While fans and critics shared positive thoughts on the “fantastic” film, there are still those who have a lot of affection for the FF films of the 2000s. Although that duology certainly has its share of admirers, the films were panned when they were initially released. Now, cast member Michael Chiklis thinks pundits’ takes at the time weren’t correct.
In Tim Story’s two Fantastic Four movies, Michael Chiklis plays the role of Ben Grimm a.k.a. The Thing. Over the years, Chiklis has expressed pride over the superhero franchise he co-starred in during the early aughts. The veteran actor, however, gave a particularly passionate appeal as to why the two superhero flicks remain “underrated” to this day. When making his argument during an interview with Collider, Chiklis made note of the immense love that the two films have received from fans:
There were a lot of people, I think, critically who got it wrong. They really maligned our films, and they were very underrated considering… they were very loved by the audience. It was one of those cases where critics weren’t great to those films, but the audience was, and that still remains. I’ve always sort of quietly gone like, okay, say what you want to say, but the people see it.
2005’s Fantastic Four opened to negative reviews and, as of this writing, it holds a 28% critics score (and a 45% audience rating) on Rotten Tomatoes. However, the movie was a commercial success, as it grossed over $333 million worldwide against a reported budget between $87.5 and $100 million. The 2007 sequel, Rise of the Silver Surfer, received lackluster reviews, too, and holds a critics score of 37% on RT along with an audience approval rating of 51%. Nevertheless, Surfer earned $301.9 million against a budget between $120 and $130 million.
While the reception to the two FF movies may not have been strong, it’s hard to deny that a subsection of the fandom still has affection for them. Michael Chiklis further emphasized the way in which people have taken to the “imperfect” flicks:
And now all these years later, people are sort of acknowledging like, hey, these films are family-friendly, fun movies… they got a lot right. They may be imperfect, but they’re really good movies.
The legacy of those particular Fantastic Four movies is still alive and well, and that particular continuity is even referenced in Deadpool & Wolverine. Chris Evans reprises his role as Johnny Storm a.k.a. The Human Torch, and the character’s humorous role in the story results in him meeting a brutal demise. On a more sentimental note, though, the credits of that threequel also include sweet BTS footage from Tim Story’s FF productions. So believe me when I say there are still those who have affection for the movies.
Despite fiercely defending his movies, Michael Chiklis has also expressed excitement about First Steps. He penned a sweet message on social media about passing the torch to new Thing actor Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and he sent well wishes to the rest of the cast and crew. As time goes on, it’s likely that fans will continue to have their opinions about which big-screen version of Marvel’s First Family they love best and, ultimately, everyone is entitled to their own opinions.
Check out The Fantastic Four: First Steps, one of the marquee titles on the 2025 movie schedule, in theaters now. Also, anyone who’s feeling nostalgic can stream the Tim Story-helmed movies using a Disney+ subscription.
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