Julia Garner Will Play The Silver Surfer In 'The Fantastic Four'

Yesterday, it was announced that Emmy-winning actress Julia Garner, who is best known for her performances in Ozark; Inventing Anna; and those Nespresso commercials with George Clooney and Simone Ashley, where the three of them hang out, look hot, and drink coffee together, has been cast to play the Silver Surfer in Marvel Studios’ upcoming film The Fantastic Four.

From Deadline Hollywood, who was first to break the news:

Sources tell Deadline that Emmy winner Julia Garner is set to play the iconic comic book character in Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four. Pedro Pascal will play Reed Richards (aka Mr. Fantastic), Vanessa Kirby is Sue Storm (aka the Invisible Woman), Joseph Quinn is Johnny Storm (aka the Human Torch) and Ebon Moss-Bachrach is Ben Grimm (aka the Thing).

WandaVision helmer Matt Shakman is directing Fantastic Four off a script by Josh Friedman, Jeff Kaplan, Eric Pearson and Ian Springer. Production will begin this summer, and the film is set to bow on July 25, 2025.

While plot details for this film are unknown, sources say Garner will play Shalla-Bal, a version of Silver Surfer from the comics.

The Silver Surfer was created by legendary artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in the comic book series Fantastic Four in 1966. A young astronomer named Norrin Radd was able to prevent the planet-devouring entity known as Galactus from consuming his home planet, Zenn-La. In exchange for the continued existence of his home (and the survival of his partner, Shalla-Bal), Radd became the Silver Surfer, a herald for Galactus, who imbued him with vast superpowers from the Power Cosmic so that he would explore the universe, and find more planets for Galactus to devour. However, when the Silver Surfer crossed paths with the First Family of Marvel Comics, he regained his morality, which led him to betray Galactus, who punished the Surfer by exiling him to the planet Earth. An exile that ended when Silver Surfer came to the assistance of Galactus’ current herald, Nova, and Galactus showed his appreciation by allowing him to leave Earth and explore the galaxy once more.

Shalla-Bal’s relationship with Radd ended when he chose to become the Silver Surfer to protect their home planet. After she was kidnapped by Mephisto, who wanted to confront the Silver Surfer and absorb his soul, Silver Surfer came to her rescue and imbed her with abilities from the Power Cosmic before sending her back to Zenn-La, and she would later become empress of the planet, which prevented her from entering marriage with Silver Surfer once they were reunited. In the alternate continuity of Earth X and Universe X, Shalla-Bal was a second Silver Surfer alongside Radd, and the two of them both served Galactus as twin heralds.

The last time Silver Surfer was seen in live action was the 2007 film Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, where he was played by Doug Jones, but voiced by Laurence Fishburne. And once it was announced that Silver Surfer would appear on the big screen once again, but played by a woman, it didn’t take long for the usual f-ckboys and Pick-Mes to predictably and loudly complain about this decision. They referred to the MCU as the “M-She-U,” (which they also did when complaining about She-Hulk: Attorney at Law and The Marvels), and stated that Marvel Studios feeling the need to gender-swap the character (even though there is no gender-swapping, and another person will be the Silver Surfer, much like how Shuri took over the mantle of Black Panther from her deceased brother, T’Challa) is one more reason why the franchise is still in its Flop Era.

The Fantastic Four is scheduled to open in theaters July 25, 2025. Until then, let’s throw it all the way back to when Silver Surfer briefly met Hank Hill, and they both discussed the merits of propane and propane accessories.

UPDATE: Marvel Studios just shared this on all of their social media accounts this morning. It not only acknowledges today’s date (4/4), but the link in the caption leads to a QR code found on H.E.R.B.I.E. that encourages people to read several issues of Fantastic Four (#1, #48, #49, #50, and Fantastic Four: Life Story #1) on Marvel Unlimited to prepare them before the film drops next year.