We’re still a year and a half out from the Marvel Cinematic Universe‘s swing at Marvel’s first family, but the internet’s fascination with Fantastic Four casting rumors has been rampant for what feels like ages now; from John Krasinski and Emily Blunt to William Jackson Harper and Penn Badgley, the fan castings for this colorful crew of heroes have included most everyone in Hollywood at this point.

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But the latest round of reports have gifted us with the meatiest Ben Grimm rumors yet, with one Daveed Diggs now leading the charge as the favorite to land the role of The Thing.

But is it a sure thing that the Little Mermaid standout will be given the honor of bellowing “it’s clobberin’ time” come 2025? Well, not exactly.

Is Daveed Diggs confirmed as the MCU’s rendition of The Thing?

To put it simply, no; Diggs’ casting has not been confirmed by Marvel Studios, Diggs, or any other official body. The original reports, an alleged leak in which Diggs was revealed as Ben Grimm alongside Adam Driver, Margot Robbie, and Paul Mescal as Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, and Human Torch, respectively (all of whom are also not officially confirmed), came from a variety of high-profile MCU insiders such as MyTimeToShineHello and Grace Randolph.

Nevertheless, the possibility of Diggs donning the mineral-clad mantle of The Thing is enough to leave many a Marvel fan with stars in their eyes; beyond the actor’s rapidly-growing and well-deserved clout, his Jewish heritage and identity will allow him to bring an infinitely refreshing interpretation to the character in a franchise that, frankly, needs some work when it comes to representation in that area.

Fantastic Four is scheduled to release to theaters on Feb. 14, 2025.