Michael Chiklis, who played Ben Grimm/The Thing in 2005’s Fantastic Four and its 2007 sequel, says the films were undervalued by reviewers and embraced by audiences. “There were a lot of people, I think, critically who got it wrong… they really maligned our films,” he said in a recent interview, adding that the movies were “family-friendly” and “got a lot right.” The data points he cites support a divide: the 2005 film holds a 28% critics score and 45% audience score on a major aggregator, while Rise of the Silver Surfer sits at 37% and 51% respectively.
Chiklis’ defense arrives as Marvel Studios’ new iteration, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, posts strong results, opening to $118 million domestically and $218 million worldwide and earning broadly positive notices, a contrast with the Fox-era entries. Box office history shows the earlier films nonetheless drew sizeable crowds: Tim Story’s 2005 release grossed $333.5 million worldwide, and the 2007 sequel took in about $301.9 million. Opening-night polling also indicated mainstream appeal at the time, with both films earning a “B” CinemaScore.
Part of the series’ lasting goodwill centers on Chiklis’ performance and the tactile look of The Thing. The actor donned a full-body prosthetic built by Spectral Motion, a choice that contemporary effects veterans say yielded heat and discomfort for the performer but a grounded, physical presence on screen. In recent reassessments, commentators have highlighted the character’s pathos in the 2005 film as a standout element that resonated with viewers even as critics questioned plotting and tone.
The reevaluation also reflects the franchise’s uneven journey. After Fox’s two mid-2000s hits and a poorly received 2015 reboot, the brand’s fortunes have risen with First Steps, which industry watchers say is tracking well with audiences and critics compared with earlier versions. Chiklis’ remarks underscore that divergence: imperfect as they were, the original films drew families and produced durable fan affection, even if they fell short of the critical consensus that today’s reboot appears to be reversing.
