Summary
The Fantastic Fourmovies made plenty of mistakes with Marvel’s First Family, but theMCUcan fix a bizarre decision from 2015’s reboot that almost ruined a character’s iconic catchphrase. Since2005’sFantastic Four, comic book readers have been waiting for a film that finally gets the team right. Tim Story’s 2005 film and its sequel weren’t terrible, but they were overly goofy and didn’t treat its characters, especially its villains, with the respect they deserve. Fox’s 2015 reboot gave some viewers hope because it promised a more serious version of The Fantastic Four.
Unfortunately, the 2015 film saw even more backlash than the other live-action Fantastic Four movies, getting ripped apart by critics and flopping at the box office. One of its criticisms is that it made many questionable decisions regarding the main team and Doctor Doom. Some were minor, but they altered how viewers saw the characters. One of these minor changes involved The Thing’s catchphrase, giving it a dark origin that made audiences never want to hear him say it again - thoughthe MCU timelinemay be able to fix this.
The MCU’s Fantastic Four Can Easily Correct A Shocking Statistic From Fox’s 2015 Reboot
The Fantastic Four haven’t had the cinematic treatment they deserve, but the MCU can correct a surprising statistic from 2015’s disastrous reboot.
2015’s Fantastic Four Connected “It’s Clobbering Time” To Ben Grimm’s Traumatic Upbringing
In Marvel Comics, Ben Grimm grew up in an impoverished neighborhood in New York, giving him a tough and scrappy personality. He idolized his older brother, Daniel, who was later killed in a gang fight. While the 2015 film did place a young Ben in a troubled home, it changed his relationship with his brother. Ben was abused by his brother, who would say “It’s clobbering time” before smacking him. These words are haunting for Ben as they remind him of his traumatic upbringing, but he still says them later before punching Doctor Doom.
In the comics, “It’s clobbering time” doesn’t have an origin, instead just being a phrase that The Thing likes to say. Connecting it to Ben’s traumatic past makes the phrase uncomfortable, asit’s a constant reminder for the audience of Ben’s abuse. The filmmakers may have wanted to add emotional depth to the phrase to match the edgier Fantastic Four adaptation, but that’s not the phrase’s intention, as it’s a simple yet effective catchphrase that gives Ben something awesome to say before going into battle - meaning the tragic movie backstory to it feels at odds with its prior usage.
The MCU Can Use The Thing’s Catchphrase In A Similar Way As The Hulk’s
“It’s clobbering time” is a goofy phrase that is hard to take seriously, even in a superhero movie. It’s fun to hear The Thing say it since he’s known for it, but it needs to be done correctly for maximum impact. The MCU has a history of making character’s catchphrases work, and it can do the same for The Thing. The best example of this is how the MCU handled the Hulk’s catchphrase: “Hulk Smash!”
Like The Thing’s phrase, it’s inherently silly, but the franchise made it work by using it at the right time. WhenEdward Norton’s Hulk says it in 2008’sThe Incredible Hulk, it’s utilized in a climactic moment where Hulk smashes the ground to defeat Abomination. It comes full circle later when Captain America tells Hulk to smash during the battle of New York inThe Avengers. The MCU needs to establish The Thing’s phrase in an epic scene in2025’sFantastic Fourmovie, so it becomes a part of his character and can be utilized for a future callback.
