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.
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Samaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
The Land between Two Rivers: Writing in an Age of Refugees
Tom Sleigh, Graywolf Press
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Friday (UAE kick-off times)
Real Sociedad v Leganes (midnight)
Saturday
Alaves v Real Valladolid (4pm)
Valencia v Granada (7pm)
Eibar v Real Madrid (9.30pm)
Barcelona v Celta Vigo (midnight)
Sunday
Real Mallorca v Villarreal (3pm)
Athletic Bilbao v Levante (5pm)
Atletico Madrid v Espanyol (7pm)
Getafe v Osasuna (9.30pm)
Real Betis v Sevilla (midnight)
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Akeed
Based: Muscat
Launch year: 2018
Number of employees: 40
Sector: Online food delivery
Funding: Raised $3.2m since inception
Last 10 NBA champions
2017: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-1
2016: Cleveland bt Golden State 4-3
2015: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-2
2014: San Antonio bt Miami 4-1
2013: Miami bt San Antonio 4-3
2012: Miami bt Oklahoma City 4-1
2011: Dallas bt Miami 4-2
2010: Los Angeles Lakers bt Boston 4-3
2009: Los Angeles Lakers bt Orlando 4-1
2008: Boston bt Los Angeles Lakers 4-2
The five pillars of Islam
The specs: 2018 Dodge Durango SRT
Price, base / as tested: Dh259,000
Engine: 6.4-litre V8
Power: 475hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 640Nm @ 4,300rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.7L / 100km
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Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
Super 30
Produced: Sajid Nadiadwala and Phantom Productions
Directed: Vikas Bahl
Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Pankaj Tripathi, Aditya Srivastav, Mrinal Thakur
Rating: 3.5 /5
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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THE LOWDOWN
Photograph
Rating: 4/5
Produced by: Poetic License Motion Pictures; RSVP Movies
Director: Ritesh Batra
Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Sanya Malhotra, Farrukh Jaffar, Deepak Chauhan, Vijay Raaz
Evacuations to France hit by controversy
- Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
- Evacuations were paused after a student already in France posted anti-Semitic content and was subsequently expelled to Qatar
- The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
- Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
- It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
- Since the start of the Gaza war, it has also included 45 Gazan beneficiaries
- Unlike students, they are allowed to bring their families to France
FIXTURES
Monday, January 28
Iran v Japan, Hazza bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)
Tuesday, January 29
UAEv Qatar, Mohamed Bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)
Friday, February 1
Final, Zayed Sports City Stadium (6pm)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Background: Chemical Weapons
MATCH INFO
Europa League final
Who: Marseille v Atletico Madrid
Where: Parc OL, Lyon, France
When: Wednesday, 10.45pm kick off (UAE)
TV: BeIN Sports
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