Michael Chiklis, who starred in 2005's Fantastic Four has shared some advice for the MCU's iteration of the superhero team. Chiklis, of course, appeared in the film as Ben Grimm/The Thing, a human who has mutated to be made out of rock. The film opened to very mixed reviews by critics and fans, though has since become one of the better options that Fantastic Four fans have in the way of live-action adaptations. Alongside Chiklis, the film starred Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba and a pre-MCU Chris Evans in his first Marvel role.
The Fantastic Four certainly have a rocky relationship with live-action adaptations. While the 2005 movie did not have the best reception ever, it still did well enough to warrant a sequel. In 2007, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer was released, faring about as well, if not slightly worse than the first film, effectively ending the series. Marvel attempted to revive the superhero team again in 2015 with the release of a new film, also entitled Fantastic Four. The film was given a somewhat grittier tone (as is the custom with superhero movies these days), and starred Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Michael B. Jordan, and Jamie Bell. Sadly, Fantastic Four was a box-office bomb. Director Josh Trank later took to Twitter to express how the final film was heavily edited by the studio, and was not his original vision for Fantastic Four. Now, seven years later, there is beginning to be talk about the Fantastic Four appearing in the MCU.
In a recent interview with Screen Rant to discuss his upcoming HBO series Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty (premiering March 6), Chiklis shared some advice for the next actor to play The Thing. Chiklis jokingly suggested that whichever actor is chosen should try to "Go CGI" if they could. Chiklis is of course referring to the fact that during his stint as The Thing, his rock-like appearance was accomplished mainly through make-up and costuming rather than computer generated effects. It seems that Chiklis wouldn't wish this experience on anyone else, stating that "wardrobe was something else." Despite this, Chiklis has conceded that "it was still a pretty amazing experience." See his full quote below:
"Go CGI if you can [laughs]. Wardrobe was something else, but it was still a pretty amazing experience. Just understand, the real tone and tenor of The Fantastic Four is as we did it. It's not meant to be dark and brooding. It's never going to be The Dark Knight. Don't try to make it that. Don't expect it to be that. The Ever-Lovin' Blue-Eyed Thing was from Brooklyn and he was a Dodgers fan. They were a sweet family and that's the way it's meant to be. It wasn't meant to be hardcore and dark and brooding. Try to make it that, you will fail."
Chiklis has also gone on to offer some advice for the proposed Fantastic Four film as a whole. Chiklis suggests that the lighter tone of his Fantastic Four films is the tone that stories about these characters are meant to have. He warns about going to dark and brooding with the material, stating that "it's never going to be The Dark Knight." Chiklis has a point, as Christopher Nolan's famed Batman flick certainly set the standard for the following superhero movies of the decade and beyond. Since The Dark Knight, nearly every superhero under the sun has received a dark and brooding make-over. But if Chiklis is right, maybe the Fantastic Four doesn't have to.
Many people may disagree, of course. Some of the most epic films of the 21st century are gritty superhero films, and it may seem an obvious choice to give the Fantastic Four the same treatment. However, for Chiklis, the Fantastic Four will always be a "sweet family and that's the way it's meant to be." There is currently no word on when and where the Fantastic Four may appear in the upcoming MCU installments. Chiklis, however, can be caught in the L.A. Lakers bio-series Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.
