Fantastic Four: First Steps Cast a Rock Named Jennifer as The Thing (Yes, Really)

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In the creation of The Thing character in the movie “The Fantastic Four: First Steps”, the filmmakers went above and beyond. While Ebon Moss-Bachrach plays Ben Grimm, he wasn’t alone in embodying The Thing. As reported by Empire, a stand-in actor donned a physical costume to provide additional references for the visual effects team. Moreover, director Matt Shakman utilized a real rock named “Jennifer” on set as an aid to portray The Thing. In an interview with Empire, Shakman explained the purpose behind this approach.

Out in the desert, we discovered a stone that perfectly matched our vision of what The Thing would appear as, according to Shakman. This rock was incorporated into every scene where The Thing is visible in the film, under all possible lighting conditions.

For approximately two decades, movie directors have employed diverse strategies to depict The Thing in the Fantastic Four series. In the 2005 film, Michael Chiklis utilized makeup and prosthetics. The techniques used in the 2015 Fantastic Four reboot bore a stronger resemblance to those employed by Shakman on First Steps; Jamie Bell brought The Thing to life through motion capture. During production of First Steps, Moss-Bachrach donned performance capture equipment.

Shakman’s method might pave the way for further appearances of The Thing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Moss-Bachrach will once again embody the character in “Avengers: Doomsday” and “Avengers: Secret Wars.” It remains uncertain if there will be a new “Fantastic Four” movie, but if “First Steps” proves successful, Marvel is likely to continue utilizing these characters.

While some might think it odd that Shakman brought a real rock onto set with the crew during filming of “First Steps”, it was likely an indispensable resource for his team. A crucial aspect of creating visually convincing special effects on screen is managing lighting effectively. By capturing practical elements such as a stand-in in costume and a genuine rock, the diligent VFX department had an abundance of materials to refer to when animating The Thing. This allowed them to gauge the character’s appearance in various environments and then replicate that lighting for the special effects shots. If this process isn’t executed accurately, viewers may pick up on inconsistencies which could influence their overall perception of the film.

From what we’ve seen so far in “The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” Shakman’s approach appears successful. Despite The Thing being a computer-generated character, he seems incredibly lifelike in every scene shown in trailers and promotional material. Given the importance of “First Steps” for Marvel, as it’s Kevin Feige’s attempt to faithfully portray these iconic characters, every detail needed to be perfect. It’s reassuring to know that Shakman was ready to think outside the box to help make “First Steps” an exceptional movie.

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2025-06-03 20:09