Julia Garner has addressed the fan backlash surrounding her casting as the Silver Surfer in the highly anticipated Marvel film The Fantastic Four: First Steps. The Emmy-winning star is set to portray Shalla-Bal, a female version of the iconic Silver Surfer character, marking the cosmic hero’s first official entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe since the character’s appearance in the 2007 Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.
At the London premiere, Julia spoke with the BBC about the mixed reactions from some fans who believe the Silver Surfer should remain male as per the original comic version, Norrin Radd. Staying unfazed by the negativity, Julia made it clear that her priority remains the role. “I said I’m just going to still do my job,” she explained, highlighting that the film is portraying Shalla-Bal, a comic-accurate female counterpart introduced in The Silver Surfer #1 back in 1968.
While the 2007 film featured Doug Jones as the motion-capture Silver Surfer and Laurence Fishburne as the voice, this new version explores a fresh storyline with Shalla-Bal. The Fantastic Four reboot promises to expand the MCU with a diverse cast including Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards Mr Fantastic Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm the Invisible Woman Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm the Human Torch and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm the Thing. Ralph Ineson will bring the cosmic villain Galactus to life while the star-studded ensemble also features Paul Walter Hauser Natasha Lyonne and John Malkovich.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps is slated to release in theatres worldwide on July 25. Fans are eager to see how Marvel Studios will integrate the Silver Surfer’s powerful narrative and Shalla-Bal’s cosmic journey into the expanding Multiverse Saga.