Fantastic Four set leak provides first look at The Thing costume

Frankly, we have to say that even in this decidedly non-audience-friendly leak, the costume is a bit of a relief given the current direction of superhero movies. While like any fan we would appreciate the use of CGI and motion capture to realize the Hulk in all his unfunny green giant glory as well as a host of other fantastic Marvel Comics designs, this technology still leaves a lot to be desired. Whether it's the crude CGI from 20 years ago in Ang Lee's Hulk or the far more sophisticated interpretations of it in 2019 Avengers: Endgamethe Hulk never really looks like he occupies the same space as the other characters. The same goes for Thanos, Kelsey Grammer's new digitally designed beast in The miraclesor a variety of other fan-favorite characters.

Motion capture is a brilliant tool with which to create art, as proven every time Andy Serkis slips into one of these suits. However, if it is at all possible to make one of these characters prosthetic, this writer still believes it should be done in-camera. There is something to be said about the tactile, tangible quality of a character that weightless CG animation can never fully replicate. And the ability to feel Ben Grimm's stone face, when you look into the orange cliffs around his blue eyes, is part of his charm. It just looks better that way. Just think of the differences between Jim Henson's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles designs from the 1990s films and the CG monstrosities in the Michael Bay-produced films of the 2010s. Just think of the difference between Chiklis' suit and the CGI used in the 2015s. Fantastic Four Restart.

We can't tell if Ebon Moss-Bachrach is uncomfortable in this outfit, but even in a grainy drone photo where the neck lines of the mask are literally visible, it still looks impressive. With the film set to have a lighter, more bouncy '60s aesthetic compared to the typical MCU house style, something you can embrace is a win.

“The Fantastic Four: First Steps” will be released on July 25, 2025.