In 2005's Fantastic Four and its 2007 sequel, Rise of the Silver Surfer, Michael Chiklis’ portrayal of rock-like superhero, The Thing, was made possible by practical effects and makeup. For its 2015 reboot, Jamie Bell’s version of Thing was a CGI creation. That digital approach is also being taken with the character in the forthcoming The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Interestingly though, director Matt Shakman explains that bringing the hero to life on set involved an actual rock called “Jennifer," and this BTS detail was not on my bingo card.
The Bear’s Ebon Moss-Bachrach is the latest actor to portray Ben Grimm/The Thing, and the actor previously discussed his confidence feelings about his motion-capture costume. As Matt Shakman explained during his interview with Empire though, building the character involved a combination of Moss-Bachrach performing a scene via mo-cap, a stand-in wearing the practical costume and the presence of the aforementioned Jennifer rock. Shakman explained how Jenn came into the picture:
We went out to the desert and found a rock that looked exactly how we thought The Thing should look, and we filmed it in every single shot that The Thing appears in in the movie, under every lighting environment.
Now, I’ve heard of people having pet rocks. But who would've thought an actual rock would have served as great cinematic inspiration for one of the most beloved comic book characters of all time? As wild as this may sound, it does make sense that Shakman and co. would go this route for their version of Ben. Plus, this also further convey's Shakman's commitment to practical filmmaking. If anything, I’m now hoping “Jennifer” earns an on-screen credit for all of their hard work. (After all, the rock did have to withstand being under all of those studio lights!)
When Ebon Moss-Bachrach first revealed Ben Grimm/The Thing would be CGI for the upcoming Marvel movie, a number of fans had differing takes. Some felt that superhero characters with dramatic physical transformations should be digitally crafted, while others believed that practical effects were superior.
While I can understand arguments that practical effects look more tangible than digitally rendered versions, motion capture can yield some excellent results. Even Michael Chiklis advised the upcoming reboot's team to go CGI, saying that the wardrobe he had to wear when playing the character “was something else.” Hours of makeup and fittings were probably also involved. With that, I'd say that mo-cap and Jennifer could serve this 2025 movie release well.
I still can't help but sit in awe over the fact that the MCU film's creative team managed to find a perfect-looking rock for the shoot. I'm really hoping that at some point, Matt Shakman or another member of the production releases a photo of Jennifer. That rock deserves its flowers, and I'll be thinking about it as I watch The Thing in action on the big screen.
Get ready for “clobberin’ time” with Ben Grimm and co., as The Fantastic Four: First Steps hits theaters on July 25th.
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