Ben Grimm, also known by his superhero alias “The Thing,” is one of the four members of the famous team of heroes, the Fantastic Four. Appearing ever since the first issue in 1961, Ben is one of the most popular comic book characters of all time, aided by his loving and humorous personality.
The MCU is officially moving forward with a project dedicated to the Fantastic Four, and all fans can do is wait to find out who will be cast in the various roles. John Krasinski famously portrayed an alternate version of Reed Richards in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, but it’s not certain whether he will return in an Earth-616 capacity. The new Fantastic Four film is set to be released in theaters on Nov. 8 in 2024, kicking off Phase Six of the MCU.
In previous live adaptations, Ben Grimm/The Thing has been portrayed by Michael Bailey Smith/Carl Ciarfalio in 1994, Jamie Bell in 2015, and most notably, Michael Chiklis, who brought all the charm and charisma to the popular 2005 films Fantastic Four, and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.
Here are 10 actors that should smash into the MCU as Ben Grimm.
Alan Ritchson
Thanks to his enormous physical stature, Alan Ritchson has always portrayed exceptionally strong individuals. He’s also brought to life many characters that began on paper. Beginning with a fan-favorite portrayal of Aquaman in Smallville, he won hearts once again as the lovable goof Thad Castle on Blue Mountain State. He’s starred as Hawk on Titans, and is currently beating bad guys to a pulp in Prime Video’s Reacher, based on the book series. Ritchson is funny, charming, and stronger than the average man. The role of Ben Grimm is basically crying out to him at this point.
Ray Fisher
While his time in the DCEU was less than ideal, Ray Fisher still managed to deliver a gripping performance as Cyborg in Justice League. Fisher is a great actor whose ability to shine on screen is unmatched. His charismatic energy would make him an exceptional Ben Grimm, and he wouldn’t be the first actor to star in both the MCU and the DCEU.
Drew Powell
Drew Powell has been pretty vocal about his desire to bring The Thing to life in any future Fantastic Four adaptations. Powell bears a striking resemblance to Ben Grimm’s rocky form, and has been at the forefront of many fan castings about which star would best portray the character.
Trevante Rhodes
Another one of many lovable macho men on this list, Trevante Rhodes is a recurring name when it comes to fan castings. Much like Ben Grimm, Rhodes is an accomplished athlete, but while the former was a football star, the latter is a gold medal-winning sprinter. His performance in the miniseries Mike shows his ability to act as a mighty fighter. Rhodes can easily make the switch between friendly and charming, to absolute brute on screen, and that’s one of the many reasons Grimm is so popular.
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II has a stacked filmography filled with memorable performances. He starred as Black Manta in Aquaman, Morpheus in The Matrix Resurrections, and Doctor Manhattan in Westworld, the last of which won him an Emmy Award. Abdul-Mateen II is pretty much a gentle giant, who’s often seen wearing his signature smile. He also played football in high school and considered himself a geek. All this and more point to him being able to portray Ben Grimm near perfectly.
Uli Latukefu
While Dwayne Johnson has shown up on a couple of fan casts to play The Thing, an overlooked actor is Uli Latukefu, who’s ironically best known for playing the former wrestler in the NBC comedy Young Rock. Latukefu has an infectious personality and has no problem being funny when he needs to be. As far as action goes, his performances in Marco Polo, Alien Covenant, and Black Adam are proof he can hang with the best of them and still shine as an actor.
Dan Fogler
Dan Fogler has referred to The Thing as a “dream role” for him, so there’s no question as to whether he’d give the role his all. Fogler is absolutely hilarious, and it will be a walk in the park bringing out the humorous angle of the character. Whether or not he will deliver on the action front is up for debate, but with enough training and determination, it shouldn’t be too much of a problem.
Tom Welling
One of the world’s favorite versions of Superman, Tom Welling is long overdue for a superhero comeback. There are a plethora of roles suited to the actor, and Ben Grimm is one of them. Welling is also big on athletics and has played baseball, basketball, golf, and soccer. While his filmography is pretty limited, roles in Smallville and Lucifer prove he’s quite the magnetic actor.
Sam Jones III
Another Smallville alum is Sam Jones III, who also had a leading role in Blue Mountain State alongside Alan Ritchson. Jones III is equal parts serious and funny on screen, and he has a unique charm that makes him such a fun actor to watch.
Bryan Greenberg
While most actors on this list can boast of jaw-dropping muscles, Bryan Greenberg makes up for big biceps by packing a punch in terms of on-screen charisma. In many iterations of Ben Grimm in the comic books, the hero’s human form isn’t exactly the biggest lad out there, and there’s nothing stopping Greenberg from hitting up the gym and training to earn a much larger physique. As for the personality of The Thing, Greenberg has that in the bag already.