All 13 On-Screen Members of the Fantastic Four, Ranked

Gotta say, it's fantastic. The ranking, I mean.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is officially in theaters, which means we've got tons of rankings coming. For this, I have decided to rank every on-screen member of the Fantastic Four that we've gotten. There's been three on-screen adaptations of the Fantastic Four, so that means three different teams. This was an interesting ranking, because all of these adaptations are so drastically different from each other. Some really work...and some really, really don't work (*cough* Fant4stic *cough*). That said, here is my ranking of every member of the Fantastic Four.

13. Ben Grimm / The Thing

Played by Jamie Bell

Fant4stic's version of the Thing is one of the worst aspects of a bad movie. Beyond just a horrific design for the character, Ben Grimm lacks any of the charm or sympathy of previous iterations. Sure, he's upset that he's a giant rock monster, but instead of actually feeling like a real human, he feels like this emotionless military weapon that is always angry. The Thing is supposed to be an endearing character, and this version is the complete opposite. I also really, really, really just hate the look. It feels like they mixed up the Hulk and the Thing, and that's just wrong. On top of that, he gets the "it's clobberin' time" phrase from his abusive brother who used to say that before beating him up? What are we doing, guys?

12. Sue Storm / Invisible Woman

Played by Kate Mara

There's nothing inherently bad about Kate Mara's Sue Storm. In fact, there's almost nothing to say about Kate Mara's Sue Storm, and that's the problem. Invisible Woman has always felt like the forgotten member of the Fantastic Four, and nowhere is that more apparent than in Fant4stic. I cannot tell you a single thing that she does in this movie. The only thing I remember is that she wasn't there when Reed, Johnny, Ben, and Victor went to the planet where they got their powers. If that's the best thing I can remember about your character, something is very, very wrong.

11. Sue Storm / Invisible Woman

Played by Jessica Alba

Whereas Kate Mara's Invisible Woman is just infinitely forgettable, Jessica Alba's feels like a mischaracterization of the character. Beyond the fact that she looks nothing like the comic version (which I don't really care about, but it's more noticeable because she doesn't act like her either), she's this needlessly sexualized version that is kind of offensive. The amount of jokes they make about her getting naked to be fully invisible is just awkward. Like, we get it, guys. A lot of her dialogue feels wooden and dull. She lacks any true chemistry with Reed. She's just a mediocre adaptation of the character, and she contributes to some of the bad aspects of the Tim Story movies.

10. Reed Richards / Mr. Fantastic

Played by Miles Teller

This character is basically tied with Jessica Alba, because I dislike both for different reasons. This version of Mr. Fantastic feels true to the comics in the way that he's nerdy and a bit out of touch with his social skills, but it also feels like this angsty teenager that isn't the leader that Reed is supposed to be. Miles Teller is a great actor, but he doesn't fit the role of Mr. Fantastic all that well, because he just doesn't have the commanding presence that is needed for that character. The nerdiness works, but I do not buy for a second that this guy will become the face of the Fantastic Four. He's kind of annoying, but not in the right Reed Richards-esc way. Look, Fant4stic does not have much good about it, so I'm just going to harp on most of these characters any time they show up.

9. Reed Richards / Mr. Fantastic

Played by Ioan Gruffudd

Much like Jessica Alba, I feel like Ioan Gruffudd's performance knocks this character back a bit. He isn't terrible, but he has zero chemistry with the rest of the cast and just creates a somewhat boring version of Reed Richards. On the positive side, however, he does feel like a true adaptation of the comic character. He's an ultra-nerdy guy who is just out of touch with other people's feelings and emotions. He cares about others, but shows it in an awkward way. I do think Gruffudd has elements of a great Reed, but there are just a few things in his line delivery and his screen presence that really lack the elements of an essential leader of the Fantastic Four.

8. Johnny Storm / Human Torch

Played by Michael B. Jordan

To be honest, this character is this high for one reason: Michael B. Jordan. This guy is one of Hollywood's biggest and best stars nowadays, and he manages to make the best out of a terrible script for Fant4stic. He has the charm and charisma that Johnny Storm is supposed to have, so that makes him the most watchable member of this team. Now, the writing prevents him from being anywhere close to a good character and his involvement in this movie makes zero sense, but it's Michael B. Jordan, so he gets brownie points for that.

7. Johnny Storm / Human Torch

Played by Joseph Quinn

There is a huge leap in quality from Michael B. Jordan's Human Torch to Joseph Quinn's. I really liked the MCU's version of Johnny, but I felt there was a little bit left to be desired. I liked that they went a different route from Chris Evans by making his womanizing tendencies subtle and not a major part of his character, but I do wish he had a bit more of an arc. He has the bravado and the energy of the classic character, but there's not as much depth given to him as I would've liked. First Steps focuses mainly on Reed and Sue, so Johnny and Ben don't get as much of a satisfying arc, which is fine, but it means they just aren't as great.

6. Ben Grimm / The Thing

Played by Ebon Moss-Bachrach

As I said, it feels like Johnny and Ben just get a little bit shortchanged in this version. I think this is by far the best-looking Thing we've ever gotten. They stuck to a truly comics-accurate look for him. Ebon Moss-Bachrach does a great job of giving us the subtle sadness of Ben without making it feel over-the-top and forced. They don't do the "Ben Grimm is a monster and the world is scared of him so he hates himself" arc in this, which I liked. Much like Johnny, a lot of those elements are much more subtle, and I think that made for an interesting change. But also like Johnny, he doesn't get the spotlight as much, so there's just not a ton of huge character moments for him. Both of these are characters I expect to like more in the future as they get more screentime and more moments to truly shine.

5. Norrin Radd / Silver Surfer

Played by Doug Jones and voiced by Laurence Fishburne

You may be asking yourself: why is Norrin Radd on this list and not Shalla-Bal? Well, Norrin Radd joins the team for the third act whereas Shalla-Bal is an antagonist until her final moments. I actually think that Silver Surfer is the best part of Rise of the Silver Surfer. Beyond looking amazing, especially for 2007, there is a sadness and a guilt that you feel anytime he is on screen. Laurence Fishburne's voice is filled with so much melancholy that you just immediately sympathize with this character before you even know what's going on. I love his backstory and the arc of him sacrificing himself to stop Galactus. I do think we could've dug a little bit deeper into his actual complexities and made him a bit more fleshed out, but as it stands, this is a truly good version of the Silver Surfer.

4. Ben Grimm / The Thing

Played by Michael Chiklis

Michael Chiklis's Ben Grimm should feel outdated and goofy, but there's an unmistakable heart in the perforamnce that just makes it so endearing. This is the classic "Ben Grimm is a monster that the world is frightening of so he hates himself" arc done right. Seeing Ben before he becomes the Thing makes it all the more heart-breaking when his life is torn apart after he becomes a rock monster. You just feel for the guy. I love that he accepts his identity to fight Doctor Doom in the finale. I do think he is definitely a bit cheesy by modern-day superhero standards, but there's something fun about a cheesy yet emotional version of this character that really hits the right notes.

3. Johnny Storm / Human Torch

Played by Chris Evans

Chris Evans's Human Torch is usually considered to be the best part of a relatively disliked movie series. This feels like Johnny Storm ripped straight from the pages: a womanizing, confident, cocky guy who wants the spotlight for himself and enjoys being this famous superhero. He should come off as this Tony Stark-esc jerk, but Evans is so likable and endearing that you just feel a sense of fun any time he's around. Beyond that, you see that he does truly care about the people around him, which just makes him easy to root for. It's interesting to see a pre-MCU Chris Evans play a character so different from Steve Rogers that still works in a fantastic way (pun intended).

2. Reed Richards / Mr. Fantastic

Played by Pedro Pascal

I know there was some controversy surrounding Pedro Pascal's casting as Reed Richards, but I thought he worked beautifully in the film. Like Johnny and Ben, the Reed Richards-isms were a bit more subtle. He doesn't always feel like this nerd who is out of touch with reality, but there are hints of that that come out in the most urgent moments of the movie, which I really liked. You see a more emotional Reed because he's in a darker, more intense story. You see how he carries this burden of being the leader of the Fantastic Four and the smartest man alive that people look to for solutions. This is why Pedro Pascal works: because he can pull off a subtle version of Reed that also feels like a darker, more weighty character. He fits in this story so well that he automatically became my favorite iteration of the character.

1. Sue Storm / Invisible Woman

Played by Vanessa Kirby

Possibly the biggest surprise of First Steps was just how good Vanessa Kirby's Invisible Woman was. She was the emotional anchor of this film to the point where it felt at times like she was the main character. Sue Storm does not have the iconic-ness of a Ben Grimm or Johnny Storm and she doesn't have the leader qualities that make Reed Richards so famous, so it feels like she is often the forgotten member of the Fantastic Four. First Steps remedies that by making this a story about family and giving her the motherhood arc. You see her beliefs about family and about sacrifice, and it just makes for a layered, interesting character. Kirby also does a fantastic (pun intended) job of playing all the different emotions that you need from Sue. I was absolutely blown away by this character, and she is, kind of by far, my favorite on-screen member of the Fantastic Four.