Marvel Needs To Avoid Copying Drax The Destroyer With Fantastic Four’s The Thing

There is a lot of excitement surrounding The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and a big reason for that is how desperate fans are to see these characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Audiences got a glimpse of the world and what the characters will look like when The Fantastic Four: First Steps trailer dropped, which enhanced the buzz surrounding this movie.

The Thing was the character most people were talking about, as he got the most screen time during the trailer. He’s a destructive force and someone who could play a big role within the MCU, but to do that, Marvel Studios must avoid repeating the mistakes they made with Drax the Destroyer in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise.

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The Thing And Drax Have Many Similarities

Audiences instantly realize that there are a lot of similarities between The Thing and Drax due to their backstory and the powers that they have. Drax was the muscle for the Guardians of the Galaxy, bringing brute strength and excellent hand-to-hand combat skills. It meant that he was a genuine threat in any fight scene, but underneath his rough persona was a character that had a lot of emotional baggage. His family being destroyed and killed by Thanos left him in a difficult situation mentally, and that’s one of the main reasons he’s so similar to Ben Grimm’s character.

Grimm is the one who deals with the most emotions out of the Fantastic Four. He’s impacted in a different way, with his issues coming from the physical changes that are made to him. Grimm having his skin turned into rocks is something that gives him a lot of inner conflict, yet he’s still expected to be the power of his particular group, which is why he’s so similar to Drax.

What Mistake Did Marvel Studios Make With Drax In The Guardians Of The Galaxy Franchise?

Drax’s character brought some emotions throughout his appearances in the MCU, but Marvel Studios failed to explore his personal story and the emotional anguish he was dealing with properly. It was highlighted in the original movie and briefly when he first encountered Thanos, but it never became a core part of the storyline, which was a mistake. There was a lot to be achieved with Drax that would’ve had audiences tap into different feelings within the movies, making him feel like an even more important member of the Guardians.

However, Marvel opted to focus on making Drax the comedic relief of the franchise. Dave Bautista’s performances were incredible, with his dry humor ensuring that he was genuinely funny, and that allowed him to still have an impact on the movies without being overshadowed. However, the constant focus on humor ended up making Drax feel much weaker than he was. Moviegoers didn’t see him as an aggressive threat with pent-up emotion, and that was a mistake. In a similar manner to how Marvel Studios has tweaked Hulk too much, the comedy negatively impacted Drax when it came to fighting scenes, all while failing to get the most out of his backstory.

Too Much Comedy Can Impact The Emotional Aspect Of The Thing In The Fantastic Four: First Steps

While all four of the Fantastic Four members gain powers that allow them to enhance their lives and help others, the way Grimm changes has a genuine impact on him, and that’s something that should bring a tinge of sadness. The Fantastic Four: First Steps trailer gave a glimpse that Marvel Studios understands that when The Thing was looking at his reflection in a television. However, the cooking scene also gives a worrying sign that Marvel might be trying to make The Thing comedic, too. It happens often with characters that look powerful and dominant, such as Drax, Thor, Hulk, and Korg, with Marvel seemingly just wanting to make their personalities the opposite of how they look.

However, The Thing doesn’t need to follow that path as the character can offer a lot more to the MCU by leaning into the emotions of his situation. Many people in life aren’t comfortable with how they look, which means that people can easily relate to The Thing, even though his body becomes rocks. Seeing how he overcomes those challenges is an interesting storyline within itself, and that can lead to comedy for some of the other characters in the film. The Thing can still bust out a few jokes, as audiences want to see the Fantastic Four having a genuine connection with each other. However, it doesn’t need to be at the expense of The Thing’s overall character. Making him the comedic part of The Fantastic Four: First Steps could be an irreversible decision that stops him from being the dominant and physical force that people want The Thing to be in the long term within the MCU.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps

Release Date

July 25, 2025

Director

Matt Shakman

• 

  Pedro Pascal

  Reed Richards / Mr. Fantastic

• 

  Vanessa Kirby

  Sue Storm / The Invisible Woman

• 

  Joseph Quinn

  Johnny Storm / Human Torch

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  Ebon Moss-Bachrach

  Ben Grimm / The Thing