Photo Credit: Marvel
Michael Chiklis has revealed that Hulk vs. Thing spin-off was once considered during the early days of Fantastic Four. The actor revealed that the idea was discussed following the success of Fantastic Four, when the studio was considering ways to expand the franchise. However, the project never moved beyond early planning stages. 

Michael Chiklis says plans for Hulk vs. Thing spin-off ‘were in discussions’ 

Michael Chiklis has revealed that a potential spin-off centered on a clash between The Thing and Hulk was once considered following the success of Fantastic Four. However, the idea never moved beyond early discussions and was ultimately dropped after the release of Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.

Speaking at a panel during C2E2 2026, Chiklis reflected on the period when 20th Century Fox was exploring ways to expand the franchise. He explained that the strong box office performance of the first film led to multiple spin-off ideas being considered. “One thing I wanted to do, and we were in discussions about at the time and it just didn’t happen, was one of my favorite issues from back in the day when I was a kid was Hulk vs. Thing,” the actor said. 

However, it ultimately did not materialize. According to Pop Verse, he said, “And they just didn’t do it. They didn’t follow through on it, and I was bummed about that because I thought, man, that could have been so much fun.”

Chiklis further clarified that the project was discussed as a possible spin-off during the gap between the first and second films, a time when several ideas were being considered for the franchise’s future. “This was a spinoff idea. There were so many ideas being bandied about between the first one and the second one,” he explained.  

Although the proposed project never moved forward, Chiklis noted that the films performed strongly at the box office. He said, “It is what it is, but those movies, correct me if I’m wrong, but they made three-quarters of a billion dollars.”