I am even more excited than ever to see both Galactus and Shalla-Bal's Silver Surfer in Multiverse Saga is currently treading on thin ice.
I'm still glad to see that this hasn't prevented The Fantastic Four: First Steps filmmakers from making some bold moves. The Fantastic Four: First Steps will take place in an alternate universe to the MCU's mainline Earth-616, and will pay homage to the titular team's origins with a retro-futuristic 1960s setting. While most of what has been revealed in trailers for The Fantastic Four: First Steps suggests that it will be largely comic-accurate, embracing its goofier and more fanciful origins, it is also opting to debut a lesser-known version of the Silver Surfer - a particularly beloved Marvel Comics character.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps Offers A New Chance To See Marvel's Silver Surfer & Galactus In Live-Action
It Will Be The First Time Since 2007
This won't be the first time Galactus and the Silver Surfer have been adapted to the big screen. The first attempt was in 2007's Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, where some much-maligned uses of creative liberties warped Galactus into a ravenous space cloud - a far cry from his comic book look. The decision was largely seen as studios shying away from the ittedly outlandish design of Galactus in an era where superhero movies were attempting to keep their movies as grounded and accessible as possible.
A silhouette of a more comic-accurate Galactus can be discerned in one shot of the space cloud adaptation in Rise of the Silver Surfer.
The Silver Surfer wasn't nearly as controversial. Physically portrayed by Doug Jones and voiced by Laurence Fishburne, the Silver Surfer was a highlight of The Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, which was initially intended as a springboard for the character's solo spin-off career. The CGI used to render the Silver Surfer earned substantial praise for the era, and he capably embodied the inherent otherworldliness of the character concept.
Not only does The Fantastic Four: First Steps need to redeem Galactus' tarnished live-action reputation, but Julia Garner is about to portray a unique spin on a particularly beloved character.
This puts a little bit of extra pressure on the MCU adaptation to do justice to Galactus and his herald. Not only does The Fantastic Four: First Steps need to redeem Galactus' tarnished live-action reputation, but Julia Garner is about to portray a unique spin on a particularly beloved character. This has already drawn a disheartening amount of ire, as Garner is portraying a lesser-known version than Norrin Radd. Thankfully, Garner's recent comments are making me optimistic about the new direction.
Silver Surfer Actor Julia Garner's Comments About The "Mystery" Of The MCU Character's Story Make Me Even More Excited To See The Movie
The Mystery Surrounding Shalla-Bal Is Intriguing
Julia Garner recently spoke with Entertainment Weekly about her version of the Silver Surfer in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which is the first time she has spoken specifically about the role. Despite this being the first time Garner has opened up about the movie, she remains distinctly coy about Shalla-Bal's role, repeatedly stressing how mysterious both the character and her motives are while acting as the Herald of Galactus. When asked about how Shalla-Bal was first described to her and how she was written in the script, Garner responded:
"It's going to be really interesting — I have to be so cryptic about everything, otherwise I'm going to have Marvel come after me. But it was described as there's this mystery about her, and there's this sense of this ambiguous energy going on of whether she's good or not. She is the herald of Galactus, so she works for Galactus, but you're not sure where she stands. Does she stand with her boss, or is she just doing what she's told? She has this mysterious energy about her, and slowly that mystery will get solved with the audience throughout watching it."
Why Shalla-Bal Being The MCU's Silver Surfer Rather Than Norrin Radd Is Actually Perfect
The MCU’s Silver Surfer is based on Shalla-Bal instead of Norrin-Rad. This change might seem trivial, but it actually enriches the narrative notably.
Although Marvel Studios certainly has a reputation for keeping a lid on its projects to an extent, I can't help but feel like Garner is being particularly secretive about Shalla-Bal's role in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. I think Garner hints at the possibility that Shalla-Bal is not particularly loyal to Galactus and his destructive MO. This could mean that The Fantastic Four: First Steps will tread familiar ground, with Shalla-Bal following a similar road to her cinematic predecessor in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. Whatever the case, I'm immensely curious about the nature of this mystery.
The MCU Has The Perfect Chance To Expand The Franchise's Silver Surfer Lore More Than Any Other Marvel Movie World
Introducing This Lesser-Known Character Tied To Norrin Radd's Lore Enriches His Future Prospects
Shalla-Bal is not a gender-swapped Silver Surfer, but simply a lesser-known bearer of the mantle. In fact, Shalla-Bal was introduced as Norrin Radd's lover in his first comic, and is imbued with the same Power Cosmic as him in the alternate universe, Earth-9997, becoming a Silver Surfer alongside him. The Fantastic Four: First Steps is confirmed to take place in an alternate universe, which helps to make sense of this variant of Shalla-Bal inheriting the Power Cosmic herself. It also doesn't preclude Norrin Rad from entering the MCU, either as part of this universe or an alternate one.
Why Does The MCU's Silver Surfer CGI Look So Weird
The Fantastic Four: First Steps has given audiences their first look at the Silver Surfer, sharing interesting ideas about the character’s design.
Instead, the introduction of such a niche character as Shalla-Bal enriches the original Silver Surfer's lore before he is even introduced in the MCU. I'm excited to see how Marvel Studios will navigate the Silver Surfer's introduction - whether Shalla-Bal will be the mainstay of the MCU or whether her story tees up the introduction of her male counterpart. Given Norrin Radd's solo spin-off never got off the ground pre-MCU, I'd love to see the franchise picking up that thread after The Fantastic Four: First Steps. At the same time, I'm open to Shalla-Bal winning me over completely.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps
- Release Date
- July 25, 2025
- Director
- Matt Shakman
- Writers
- Jeff Kaplan, Josh Friedman, Ian Springer, Eric Pearson, Stan Lee
- Producers
- Jamie Christopher, Kevin Feige, Louis D'Esposito, Tim Lewis
- Franchise(s)
- Marvel Cinematic Universe
Cast
Reed Richards / Mr. Fantastic
Vanessa KirbySue Storm / The Invisible Woman
Johnny Storm / Human Torch
Ebon Moss-BachrachBen Grimm / The Thing
MCU Movies
Source: Entertainment Weekly
