Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Ben Grimm/The Thing

Ben Grimm a.k.a. The Thing comes to life in new The Fantastic Four: First Steps set images for the 2025 Marvel Cinematic Universe movie. After several years of being in development, The Fantastic Four: First Steps cast is finally filming the highly anticipated Phase 6 installment, which will bring Marvel’s First Family into the franchise. Marvel previously revealed what the new Fantastic Four costumes will look like in the MCU during D23, and new set photos offer insight into how the movie will bring The Thinig to life.

With The Fantastic Four: First Steps actors currently busy filming the Phase 6 movie, a first look at how The Thing will be brought to life with practical effects has been revealed through new set photos from Fantastic Four Updates. A set video from The Fantastic Four: First Steps also shows a closer look at how practical The Thing costume will be in the film.

The Fantastic Four set photo and video depict someone — potentially Ebon Moss-Bachrach, though their face is not visible — with a bulky suit beneath his superhero costume. As the person stands there, a mask that covers their entire head is pulled down, with a flap that’ll go beneath the costume. Other people are helping the actor put on gloves to mimic The Thing’s rocky appearance, indicating much of the costume is practical.

How The MCU’s The Thing Compares To Past Fantastic Four Movie Versions

The Thing feature Ben Grimm

When looking at The Thing in The Fantastic Four: First Steps in comparison to past live-action versions, it is clear that they are leaning more toward the approach of the first Fantastic Four films by 20th Century Fox. Played by Michael Chiklis, the movies also had the actor don a practical suit, while likely adding bits of VFX in post-production. The difference between Chiklis and Moss-Bachrach’s versions is the fact that the MCU incarnation will have his torso and legs covered, whereas Fox’s The Thing only wore pants.

It wasn’t until 2015, when Fantastic Four came out, where Jamie Bell played the Marvel hero, that the filmmakers made The Thing 100% CGI, which was a major departure from past live-action iterations. Even though the movie had a lot of creative issues, which led to its poor critical reception, The Thing was actually not one of them. The VFX work that was done alone made The Thing look believable while blending in with the other characters around him.

Playing The Thing in The Fantastic Four: First Steps will be Ebon Moss-Bachrach’s second role in the MCU after starring as David Lieberman/Micro in The Punisher season 1.

From the new glimpse that has been revealed of The Thing, the MCU is already on the right track with Moss-Bachrach’s version of The Thing. With The Thing now seen in public, it will likely not be much longer until the other cast members from The Fantastic Four: First Steps will be seen in their super suits, too. Hopefully, it won’t be long until all four of The Fantastic Four: First Steps heroes will be spotted together while filming.