That Thing You Do

It's a strange thing isn't it? ** Fantastic Four** has to be one of the best-loved comic books of all (to those of us of a certain age anyway) but Tim Story's adaptation of the heroic foursome has so far provoked more dread than joy. Not that it's anything new for fanboys to gibber endlessly when all is not as they dreamed it would be, but casting rumours for FF have led even more than usual to sit awake at night with knees brought up to their chests, rocking gently back and forth. Word that Paul Walker and pop starlet Christina Milian might play Sue and Johnny Storm (aka The Human Torch and The Invisible Woman) greeted all like a slap in the face and rumours of Brendan Fraser being touted for Reed Richards (Mr Fantastic) was a finishing kick to the family jewels. But, amid the mooted casting travesties, there was a glimmer of hope and that was news that Michael Chiklis was in talks for the role of Ben Grimm (The Thing). Kicking arse and taking names (and drugs, and the Armenian mob's cash) in Channel Five's superbly edgy cop series, The Shield, Chiklis has more than proved himself as a tough-talking hard man and we reckon he'd make a solid choice as FF's rocky orange monstrosity. The good news? He's all but got the job. Official word has yet to confirm it as all four of the film's heroes are to be announced simultaneously, but Variety reports that Chiklis is now the only man studio bosses want for the part. Now, if they can get the other three right everyone will be happy.