Marvel fans are now realizing that Fantastic Four's The Thing star has been in the MCU before

The Punisher
(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

The double-character club is a pretty prestigious group in the MCU with the likes of Josh Brolin, Linda Cardellini, and Michelle Yeoh all being members. Well now some Marvel fans have realized that Ebon Moss-Bachrach has also joined the line-up.

The actor is set to star as Ben Grimm – or The Thing – in the upcoming The Fantastic Four: First Steps. However, he previously played David Lieberman in 12 episodes of The Punisher too, which is of course also now part of the MCU.

"After watching an Easter egg video about the DD: Born Again trailer I remembered that Ebon Moss-Bachrach played David Lieberman in the Punisher series," Redditor OneStoneKiller shared. "Once he hits the screen as Ben Grimm he will hit the 2-timers club milestone."

In The Punisher, Liberman was also known as a Micro and was a legendary hacker who faked his own death to hide from the authorities. He actually recruited Frank Castle to his cause as the pair had some mutual enemies, and his storyline played a key part in the Netflix show's first season.

Moss-Bachrach is now best known for playing Cousin in The Bear, and will soon be hitting our screens as The Thing. Speaking recently about what to expect from his character in the new Marvel movie, the actor revealed he'd worked closely with motion-capture expert Andy Serkis to perfect his performance.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is due out in theaters on July 25, 2025 – and will also star Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, Julia Garner, and Ralph Ineson. For more on all things MCU, check out our guide to upcoming Marvel movies and shows as well as our breakdown of how to watch the Marvel movies in order.

Fay Watson
Deputy Entertainment Editor

I’m the Deputy Entertainment Editor here at 12DOVE, covering TV and film for the Total Film and SFX sections online. I previously worked as a Senior Showbiz Reporter and SEO TV reporter at Express Online for three years. I've also written for The Resident magazines and Amateur Photographer, before specializing in entertainment.

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