FX’s culinary hit The Bear meets Marvel’s superhero juggernaut in an unexpected yet clever crossover. On social media, FX released a humorous promo clip that blends scenes from the series with visuals from The Fantastic Four: First Steps.This crossover marks a creative promotional effort for both the acclaimed series and the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s (MCU) newest blockbuster. The video features characters from The Bear saying phrases like “rock” and “thing,” which then transition into scenes of Ben Grimm, also known as The Thing, from the film. The crossover highlights actor Ebon Moss-Bachrach, who stars in both high-profile roles.The Bear meets The Fantastic FourThe video posted by FX on Instagram features characters from The Bear saying lines that reference “rock” and “thing.” These scenes then cut to brief clips of The Thing from The Fantastic Four: First Steps, with the superhero film’s theme music playing in the background. Ebon Moss-Bachrach, who plays Richie in The Bear, also portrays Ben Grimm/The Thing in the MCU.The clip includes Richie saying, “I guess I’m just feeling a little bit like a rock,” followed by a quick transition to a digitally rendered image of The Thing. Other segments feature characters saying, “Look, here’s the thing,” and “You’re not feeling like a rock?”—each leading to similar transitions.In one sequence, Richie responds, “I think I’m the sand, man,” after which the video once again cuts to a clip of The Thing.The crossover video presents a direct connection between Moss-Bachrach's two roles. It combines edited scenes from The Bear with material from The Fantastic Four: First Steps to highlight the actor’s appearances in both productions.Ebon Moss-Bachrach’s roles in The Bear and The Fantastic Four: First StepsPedro Pascal and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Image via Getty)Ebon Moss-Bachrach plays Richie in the FX series, a central character who has received notable attention throughout the show's run. In The Fantastic Four: First Steps, he appears as Ben Grimm, a key member of the superhero team.The connection between the two projects is further underscored in the film's trailer, which features The Thing preparing food in the kitchen of the Baxter Building—a possible visual nod to Moss-Bachrach’s culinary role in The Bear.Both The Bear season 4 and The Fantastic Four: First Steps have seen major releases in 2025. FX's crossover video draws attention to this concurrent visibility and highlights Moss-Bachrach's involvement in both productions.Box office performance of The Fantastic Four: First StepsThe cast of The Fantastic Four: First Steps (Image via Getty)The Fantastic Four: First Steps opened in theaters with a domestic box office total of $118 million during its first weekend. As of writing, the film has reached a global gross of $218 million. These earnings position it ahead of several recent superhero releases, including James Gunn's Superman.The film stars Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Julia Garner, alongside Moss-Bachrach. The storyline follows the Fantastic Four as they face Galactus, played by Ralph Ineson, and the Silver Surfer, portrayed by Julia Garner. The timing of FX’s crossover release corresponds with the film’s theatrical success and aligns the two projects within ongoing promotional efforts.Marketing strategy by FXThe crossover video was not released by Marvel Studios but by FX. It uses scenes from the culinary show and visuals from The Fantastic Four: First Steps to create a promotional connection. The video relies on editing and selected lines to highlight Moss-Bachrach’s involvement in both titles.The video draws focus to the actor’s work and ties together two currently running entertainment properties. By releasing the content on social media, FX extends the reach of its series while aligning it with one of the year’s notable film releases.With The Bear launching a new season and The Fantastic Four: First Steps performing well at the box office, the timing of the crossover couldn't be more fitting.