The original big-screen Ben Grimm wished the team behind the reboot “the best of luck.”

Former Fantastic Four star Michael Chiklis looks forward to watching new cast take on ‘these iconic roles’

The original big-screen Ben Grimm wished the team behind the reboot "the best of luck."

By Raechal Shewfelt

Published on July 21, 2025 09:15PM EDT

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Michael Chiklis has signed off on the new 'Fantastic Four'. Credit: Daniel Zuchnik/Getty Images

Michael Chiklis, who starred as Ben Grimm/The Thing in the 2005 movie *Fantastic Four*, is cheering on the upcoming reboot.

"I want to thank everyone for all the *Fantastic Four* love this last couple of months during the run up to the new *F4* flick," Chiklis wrote Monday on social media to caption a snapshot of himself in character. "Speaking of which, I want to wish the cast and crew of *First Steps* the best of luck and success. I admire these actors and look forward to seeing them take on these iconic roles. #F4Forever #TheThing."

Chiklis costarred in the big-screen take on the Marvel comic book characters along with a cast that included Ioan Gruffudd (as Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic), Jessica Alba (Sue Storm/Invisible Woman), Chris Evans (Johnny Storm/Human Torch), Kerry Washington (Alicia Masters), and the late Julian McMahon (the villainous Victor von Doom/Dr. Doom).

*The Shield* alum reprised his role in the 2007 sequel, *Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer*.

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The new film, *The Fantastic Four: First Steps*, stars Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Vanessa Kirby, and, stepping into the role Chiklis once played, *The Bear*'s Ebon Moss-Bachrach.

Moss-Bachrach has explained that he managed to utter a particular catchphrase that audiences heard from Chiklis in the new MCU movie.

'Fantastic Four' 2005 stars Jessica Alba, Ioan Gruffudd, Chris Evans, and Michael Chiklis.

20th Century Studios

"Do you say the words 'it's clobberin' time' at any point?" Jimmy Kimmel asked him on his late-night show, *Jimmy Kimmel Live*, in January.

"I slipped it in there a couple times," Moss-Bachrach said, but he couldn't make any guarantees the phrase would end up in the superhero flick. "We'll see what happens. I don't have final cut on this one."**

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And he noted that some things about the character had changed since Chiklis portrayed him beginning in 2005 and Jamie Bell played him in the first reboot of the movie a decade later. (The 2015 film costarred Michael B. Jordan, Kate Mara, and Miles Teller.)

While Chiklis used prosthetics and makeup to play the role, Bell's portrayal was created digitally. Moss-Bachrach said he filmed the part wearing a motion-capture suit.

*The Fantastic Four: First Steps *arrives in theaters Friday, July 25.

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Source: “AOL Movies”