The Fantastic Four star Ebon Moss-Bachrach confirms he will be doing motion capture for The Thing

Last Updated on February 27, 2024

With multiple attempts to adapt Marvel’s first family for the big screen, the casual Valentine’s Day news drop of the casting for The Fantastic Four has fans buzzing. As the Fantastic Four finally get the MCU treatment, there is a natural excitement that the superhero team will get the faithful translation that fans have been waiting for. The casting announcement was made with a simple illustrated photo that features the likenesses of the cast actors in their respective roles in a very retro picture. This also led to speculation that the movie may take place in the 60s.

One thing that seems obvious with larger-than-life characters in the MCU is how The Thing will be integrated. As we’ve seen in the past with the Hulk and Thanos, Marvel has been a champion for using motion capture for certain characters. Ebon Moss-Bachrach, who has been cast as Ben Grimm aka The Thing has confirmed that he will not be using a practical suit, but will be doing motion capture for The Thing. Variety reports that Moss-Bachrach appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live when he said, “In the past, I think they’ve done a suit. Michael Chiklis wore a suit that apparently was really uncomfortable, and it’s kind of… we’re past that. It’s a little kind of cosplay, kind of amateur that kind of stuff now with the technology we have.” 

Josh Trank’s Fantastic 4 would first utilize CGI for The Thing’s appearance and despite the overall reception of the movie as a whole, one thing audiences weren’t critical about was the look of The Thing in the film. Details of The Fantastic Four are still yet to be announced, but one element that was teased with the illustration was the setting of the film. Jimmy Kimmel would inquire if Moss-Bachrach could confirm if the movie would indeed take place in the 60s and, in usual Marvel tight-lipped fashion, Moss-Bachrach would give a vague answer. As Kimmel pointed out the retro style of the picture, Moss-Bachrach slyly replies, “That image does seem to be ’60s themed.” 

Moss-Bachrach joins Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm and Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm. No word on who the team will be tangling with in the film, but there is talk that Javier Bardem is possibly being considered to play Galactus, the planet-eating villain who was portrayed as a space cloud in 2007’s Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.