The first look at Julia Garner’s Silver Surfer has just dropped in all its reflective glory, sending fans into a tailspin. The Silver Surfer is a character that Marvel fans hold close to their hearts, sometimes alarmingly so, and the studio seems to have made the bold decision to cast Julia Garner as Shalla-Bal instead of going for the classic Norrin Radd in The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
The fresh poster for Silver Surfer was released on April 17, 2025, but fans quickly diminished its gleaming appeal by subjecting it to intense ridicule online.
Audiences respond with laughter to Julia Garner’s initial appearance as Silver Surfer.
As Julia surfs into the Marvel Universe, the possibilities for her character seem to be endless. Fans have been starving for a decent
Fantastic Four
adaptation for the longest time, and it seems like the upcoming film promises to fulfill all those expectations, and then some more.
For a moment, the hype around the trailer felt real before fans turned the celestial being’s introduction into a meme fest. As the shiny new toy rolled into town, fans took the opportunity to poke fun at the character design, which frankly, is so lustrous it could blind a planet:
“One spectator quipped, ‘It looks more like Tin Foil Surfer to me,’ ” according to X /
@FortKnoxCrypto
)
“Why does it seem as though it was made just a year after Terminator 2?” remarked another (via X /
@N7_Paul
)
“There’s absolutely no way this was meant to be impressive,” jeered another spectator (via X /
@Commentary4us
)
The inclusion of the Silver Surfer in the MCU means fans can look forward to a dazzling new character to embrace. Will he surpass expectations and become an unexpected champion within the series? Time will reveal all. One certainty remains though: it would be amusing to see the Silver Surfer thwart villains simply by overwhelming them with his radiant presence.
Galactus
With her brilliance. What about a dance-off with The Human Torch to seize the title of “the most dazzling new item in town”? The options are limitless.
Certainly, there are those purists holding tightly to their comic books in objection to Marvel’s decision to cast a female Silver Surfer. The idea isn’t entirely novel, considering Shalla-Bal has appeared in comics since the ’60s. However, many fans seem oblivious to this detail and have taken to their X timelines to pronounce doom upon the forthcoming film.
“A another disappointment for Disney,” predicted one fan (via X /
@JoeySalads
)
Is her action figure coming out directly at Ollie’s?
another
Whether it’s doomsday or not, The Fantastic Four are definitely gearing up.
Avengers: Doomsday
, and the fanboy backlash over a female surfer is a hilariously epic tale all its own!
Julia Garner boasts an outstanding collection of roles—with standout performances in “Ozark” and “The Americans,” she captivated audiences everywhere. Her online fanbase remains highly active, with many expressing excitement about the idea of her portraying the Silver Surfer. However, they couldn’t help but wonder which iteration of Julia would appear…
One fan jokingly remarked, ‘I keeps expecting her to sound like she does in The Ozarks,’
@LocalWvlf
)
Julia Garner’s initial portrayal of the Silver Surfer ignited a torrent of amusing responses across social media platforms. Ironically, even the exaggerated fan outbursts and their rage fueled by memes just serve to demonstrate this further.
The Fantastic Four: Initial Journey
keeps attracting attention. Here’s hoping that once the film releases, this attention is justified and positive!