I have a lot of trepidation forThe Fantastic Four: First Steps, but after a recent reveal regarding one specific hero, I feel a lot more confident the movie will be a success. As a die-hard fan of theMarvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)who has been following the action from the beginning in 2008, I still get incredibly excited when a big new title is announced. TheAvengersmovies blew my mind, and when new superhero teams were announced, there was a lot of enthusiasm.
However, when it comes to The Fantastic Four, it feels like a much bigger undertaking for the MCU, especially when the franchise has been struggling to keep fans engaged. These heroes are literally the First Family when it comes to Marvel, and it’s a team that has already been adapted multiple times to largely middling results. And some of that is down to the characters that form the team, and howchallenging it is to make these comic book heroes shineon the big screen. But,Ebon Moss-Bachrach recently shared one detail that proves the MCUis taking care of these heroes.
Andy Serkis Being A Part Of Making The Thing In Fantastic Four Was The Final Thing I Needed To Hear To Be Convinced The MCU Will Get The Character Right
Andy Serkis Is The Godfather Of Motion Capture Acting
In an interview with Jimmy Kimmel,Ebon Moss-Bachrach shared some key details about the challenges of playing The Thing. For one, the character is a giant man made out of rocks, who is not entirely dissimilar to theThor: Ragnarokstar, Korg. But while Korg is a fun side character who is played for laughs in any movie where he appears, the Thing was born a human man, named Ben Grimm, who struggles with the reality of his new body and the way others perceive him. This requires the character to portray emotion and introspective human details, while looking like a rock monster.
However, despite Moss-Bachrach’s lack of experience of playing fully CGI characters, Marvel Studios has provided him with an incredible mentor. As the actor revealed, he did somework with Andy Serkisto prepare.Serkis is a legendary motion capture expertwho played CGI characters like Gollum inThe Lord of the Rings, Caeser inThe Planet of the Apes, and Snoke inStar Wars,to name a few. If anyone knows how to take imagined characters and imbue them with emotion, humanity, and intensity, it’s Serkis.
Marvel’s Movie History With The Thing Sets Up A Bigger Challenge For The MCU
The Entire Fantastic Four Have Challenging Powers To Adapt For The Screen
In the past, approaches to adapting The Thing, and the rest of The Fantastic Four in general, have proven extremely difficult to do well in live-action. In 1994, one low budget Fantastic Four movie which never made it to public distribution saw thecharacters created through means of practical costumesand design, but that evidently failed to make them feel authentic or emotional. Then, in 2005, arguably the best modern live-action version of the character appeared withMichael Chiklis gearing up in a large bodysuitto again create a practical version of the character.
In the past, approaches to adapting The Thing, and the rest of The Fantastic Four in general, have proven extremely difficult to do well in live-action.
This time, there was more emotion, but the character failed to convey the sheer size and power of the hero from the comics. In 2015,Fant4stictried to update the character with a 100% CGI version, but the results were lacking, with the creature losing any sense of emotion. And whenset photos began appearing onlinewith the MCU’s version of The Thing, I wasn’t sure what to think, but I hoped that the large practical suits were props and reference points that would be enhanced with CGI, and Serkis' involvement in helping to train Moss-Bachrach with mocap tech confirms that.
The More I Learn About The MCU’s Fantastic Four Movie, The More I’m Convinced It Will Finally Get The Hero Team Right
The MCU Has The Resources And Talent To Get The Team Right
The Fantastic Four have long been expected to join the MCU, and when John Krasinski appeared inDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, it was a beautiful nod to fans that Marvel was listening and getting ready. Then, when the cast was announced, I felt like there was a lot ofstrong potential among the talented actors set to play these incredible heroes. Now, with announcements and snippets coming out of Comic Con, the cast discussing the fun they are having on set, and even the set photo leaks, everything is getting me more excited about this project.
The Fantastic Four Has The Perfect Chance To Fix The MCU’s Most Wasted Storyline
The Fantastic Four: First Steps could introduce new, more interesting variants of several villains that the MCU has wasted throughout the years.
Marvel’s First Family is one of my favorite superhero teams, and they have some of the best dynamics and villains from the entire franchise, including themenacing Doctor Doom. But up to this point, no adaptation has really captured the essence of The Fantastic Four, and been able to convey their powers in a satisfying way. But if anyone can do it, it would be Marvel Studios, and now seems like the best chance for the multi-billion dollar franchise to finally introduce these pivotal heroes. As long as they can keep the heroes authentic, and ensure the finished product is convincing, I thinkThe Fantastic Four: First Stepshas every chance to succeed and kick off a new era in the MCU.
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.
