Julia Garner has reportedly been hired to play the Silver Surfer in Marvel’s coming Fantastic Four. The actress, known for her roles in Ozark and Inventing Anna, will join a cast that already includes Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Joseph Quinn, who were announced last month as the film's titular quartet.
Garner, 30, will be portraying Shalla-Bal, a female version of the Silver Surfer. The character first appeared in the comics in 1968, opposite the male Silver Surfer, though in a different form. While the male equivalent is one of the most culturally resonant characters on Marvel's roster, his only big-screen appearance came in 2007 in the critical dud Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.
The upcoming reboot is slated for release next year and will be led by Matt Shakman, who was praised for the Disney+ series WandaVision. The new film will be his second feature after 2014’s Cut Bank, although he has many directing credits on TV.
Judging from the released artwork for the film, many fans are speculating the new Fantastic Four will be set in the 1960s. While most of the main cast has been revealed, there are still significant characters from the long-running comics that could be part of the film.
Here's a rundown, and the actors who could play them.
Galactus
The villain has been part of the Fantastic Four stories since the early days, appearing in issue #48 of the original series. And while the character is a favourite among comic fans, he's one of the hardest to cast on screen due to his incredible size, sometimes appearing as big as some planets.
Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character did appear briefly in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, appearing in the form of a space cloud.
In the comics, the character is described as the oldest living entity in the universe. His original appearance is not known, rather every species perceives him in a way they can understand. Some have speculated that, like in the 2007 film, Galactus may again be completely computer generated, making the casting choice all about the strength of voice.
A popular fan choice for Galactus is Javier Bardem, most recently seen in Dune: Part Two. Bardem also appeared in the James Bond film Skyfall as well as Disney's recent live-action remake of The Little Mermaid, but is yet to be part of a superhero franchise.
Doctor Doom
Dr Victor Werner Von Doom, simply known as Doctor Doom to most, is the Fantastic Four’s greatest foil and, in the view of many fans, the best Marvel comic book villain.
In most versions of his origin story, he is the monarch of the fictional country Latveria and aims to bring order to humanity through world conquest.
Also created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in issue #5 of the comics in 1962. He’s a frequent presence in most stories about the team.
A popular fan casting for the character is recent Academy Award winner Cillian Murphy. The Irish actor previously appeared as Scarecrow in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy. His casting would bring plenty of attention from beyond the superhero world.
Alicia Masters
Not a villain or a superhero, but still one of the most important characters in the Fantastic Four world is the blind sculptor Alicia Masters. The character became part of the story after she fell in love with Ben Grimm, better known as The Thing, who will be played by Moss-Bachrach (The Bear).
The relationship is an important aspect of the character, as she can see who he is on the inside rather than merely focus on his rough appearance.
The character was last played by Kerry Washington in the Fantastic Four films from 2005 and 2007. Two of the more popular fan castings are Hillary Duff, famed for her work on the Disney Channel in the 2000s, and Blake Lively, whose previous superhero film credits include 2011’s Green Lantern.
