It would be an understatement to say that MCU fans haven’t been taking well to the rumors of Mila Kunis being in talks to play Ben Grimm aka The Thing in the upcoming Fantastic Four film. But after airing their grievances over the possible casting, fans have established that they have no issues with Marvel gender-swapping the superhero. The problem is that they find it impossible to imagine Kunis as the hulking behemoth, especially when the perfect actress for the role is very much available.
Though the fandom is ready to accept Kunis as Sue Storm or Alicia Masters, visualizing the actress who stands only five feet and four inches tall as the towering stone giant is something not everyone is able to digest. Many have diagnosed the displeasure as Marvel purists sticking to authentic comic book adaptation, which means needing a male actor to play the character of Ben Grimm.
But the ongoing conversation over the rumored casting has made space for the fact that while a few do demand a loyal screen adaptation of the character, many just want an actress who is made for the role. And the best candidate? Poker Face and Russian Doll fame Natasha Lyonne, who evokes immense anger in her diehard fans whenever she loses out on a well-deserved Emmy Award. The actress was nominated for three Emmys for Russian Doll, which she created, co-wrote, and starred in.
Lyonne has more than proved her acting prowess and the ability to switch emotions within nanoseconds — imagining her as The Thing isn’t a task, it’s a dream.
Even though the source of the rumor is dicey and not backed by any solid evidence, it did kickstart the topic of presenting a female The Thing. While Kunis failed to get the fandom excited about the chances of her playing the character, it is evident that not many will hate the idea of Lyonne making her MCU debut as Grimm.