Julia Garner is set to debut as Silver Surfer in Marvel’s upcoming film The Fantastic Four: First Steps. This movie will mark the character’s first appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, after previously appearing in the 2007 film Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. Though her role is based on a female version from the comics, the decision to cast Garner has drawn backlash from fans who expected a male actor.
At the London premiere of the film, Garner addressed the criticism in an interview with the BBC. She made it clear that the negative comments didn’t affect her focus. “I said, ‘I’m just going to still do my job,’” she said, adding that her priority was giving her best performance, regardless of online reactions.
She also clarified that she is playing a different version of the character. “Also, it’s Shalla-Bal, so it’s different,” Garner explained, referring to the female Silver Surfer introduced in The Silver Surfer #1 in 1968. Unlike Norrin Radd, the original Silver Surfer portrayed in the 2007 film through Doug Jones’s motion capture and Laurence Fishburne’s voice, Shalla-Bal is a separate figure in Marvel Comics with her own story.
In this latest adaptation, The Fantastic Four: First Steps introduces a new cast to the beloved superhero team. The movie stars Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic), Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm (Invisible Woman), Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm (Human Torch), and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm (The Thing). The main villain, Galactus, is played by Ralph Ineson, while the supporting cast includes Paul Walter Hauser, Natasha Lyonne, and John Malkovich.
The film is scheduled to hit theatres on July 25, and anticipation is running high. Fans are eager to see how Marvel reimagines the Fantastic Four team and how Garner portrays this powerful cosmic character. Despite the early backlash, Garner’s calm and professional response, along with her commitment to the role, has generated support and curiosity. Her version of the Silver Surfer could mark a new direction in Marvel storytelling—one that remains true to the comics while exploring fresh perspectives.
