The Marvel Cinematic Universe has so many new projects coming up that there are a lot more characters on the way. Some still on the horizon are the MCU’s version of Marvel’s first comic book family, the Fantastic Four. The Fantastic Four had two different movie versions of the team under their time at FOX. With Disney having control of FOX’s assets, the team is back in the hands of Marvel Studios. That “first family” consists of Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm. There’s been a lot of speculation from fans about just who might be cast. There hasn’t been a ton of talk about Ben Grimm though.
Ben AKA The Thing doesn’t get flashy powers like the ability to stretch or “flame on.” Instead, his body turns into what looks like rock as he gains super strength. The role will likely include a lot of CGI, like Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk. An actor still needs to bring the right amount of humanity, humor, and pathos to the role. Ben is one of the characters who has the most trouble adjusting to his power set in the previous incarnations of the story. He needs to be someone the audience can rally behind. There’s a lot of great talent in the acting world, but these actors could really leave their mark on the role.
David Harbour already has a role in the MCU. He stars as the Red Guardian in the repeatedly delayed Black Widow. That makes him appearing as The Thing unlikely, but not impossible. Plenty of actors have had dual roles in the expansive MCU over the years. With the role requiring a very distinct appearance for the character, he likely wouldn’t spend much time looking like David Harbour in the new Fantastic Four.
Harbour has built a career on playing rough-around-the-edges characters with a lot of heart. From the title character in Hellboy to Hopper in Stranger Things, he’s a genre fan favorite. Harbour can nail sarcasm and anger in a way that makes the audience delighted rather than cringe. The emotional side of his character in Stranger Things as he bonds with Eleven is especially indicative of the kind of heart he can bring to the role.
Cress Williams might be one of the hardest working men in Hollywood. He’s played every type of role from superhero to father to doctor to small town mayor; he’s done it all. Williams’ time as the titular Black Lightning is coming to an end. While he might want a break from the superhero side of entertainment, he’d make a great Ben.
Williams already has the experience with the physicality of playing a superhero role thanks to his role as Black Lightning. He’s also got warmth, humor, and heart down as the mayor and former star athlete in a small town in Hart Of Dixie. The downside is he might be a little older than Marvel Studios wants to cast.
Best known for his role in Parks And Recreation, it’s really not difficult to imagine Nick Offerman in the role of Ben Grimm. His often dry delivery of lines as Ron Swanson made him a fan favorite. What’s more, once upon a time, Offerman voiced interest in playing the character.
When Offerman appeared for an interview on the podcast WTF With Marc Maron, he actually expressed interest in the role. It’s been several years since he was interviewed, but he did make the remark that it was the only superhero role he could see himself playing. Of course, a lot of the casting for Fantastic Four will come down to what age group the writers place the titular heroes in. Older and established, having been living in the background of the MCU this whole time? Young and inexperienced and just learning about their abilities? Time will tell.
Though he’s more likely to take on roles in indie movies than big blockbusters, Jake Johnson is rapidly becoming a household name. Thanks to his seven seasons playing Nick Miller on New Girl, audiences know he has what it takes to play a grumpier than necessary fountain of sarcasm. He’s got a knack for making the audience really care about a character who makes the worst decisions.
Like Offerman, Johnson could definitely nail the human aspect of The Thing. He’s also, however, no stranger to voiceover work if the MCU’s version is full CGI. Johnson voiced Peter B. Parker for Into The Spider-Verse. He also lands right in the middle of the age range of the actors here, making him more likely to fit into a longer-running franchise than Offerman.
If casting directors wanted to go younger, Charles Melton would be a great choice. The actor isn’t a big name in Hollywood yet, but he’s making his mark. TV fans will know him best for being brought in to replace Ross Butler on CW’s Riverdale season two. Scheduling conflicts prevented Butler from continuing to play Reggie Mantle.
Melton has also guest-starred in American Horror Story and recently taken a turn as the romantic lead in The Sun Is Also A Star. He might not have as much experience, but he’s well on his way to earning it. Initially, Riverdale’s Reggie seemed like more of a bully and less of a loyal friend, but the expansion of the character with Melton in the role has given him more depth than writers afforded Butler in the show’s first season. Melton would easily be convincing as a former high school football star turned astronaut.
Fans are sure to be paying attention to every casting rumor until Marvel announces the official Fantastic Four lineup.
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