OG Silver Surfer Actor Doug Jones Shares His Take On Julia Garner Playing A Version Of The Character In The Fantastic Four: First Steps

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In the freshly unveiled movie titled “The Fantastic Four: First Steps“, we encounter a novel perspective on Marvel’s original family, accompanied by another portrayal of the Silver Surfer. Julia Garner embodies Shalla-Bal, the imprisoned interstellar messenger in this iteration. It is worth noting that Garner isn’t the first actor to don silver digitally for the role; Doug Jones played a rendition of the guardian approximately two decades ago. Now, Jones shares his thoughts on Garner portraying another version of the beloved character.

In 2007, Doug Jones portrayed the role of Norrin Radd, the silver-clad hero, in “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer,” a film available for streaming with a Disney+ subscription. To be more precise, it was Doug Jones who delivered the physical performance, while Laurence Fishburne provided the voice for Radd. Notably, Jones was one of the seasoned Fantastic Four cast members present at the premiere of “First Steps” in Los Angeles. It was during this event that he expressed his enthusiasm for the movie and voiced positive opinions about the new version of the Silver Surfer making its way to the big screen.

I truly hope Julia Garner has a great experience with her role. The trailers look promising, offering a fresh perspective on the Surfer character. Notably, she also appears in the comic books, so there’s a solid foundation for her portrayal. I can’t wait to see how they translate that to the big screen.

After Doug Jones shared those comments with TheWrap (which were posted to X), he was able to see the film for himself during the premiere that evening. Jones took to his Instagram account to drop a post that included some sweet photos. Not only on that, but he also praised the film and commended his big-screen Surfer successor on her work. I love seeing Jones send such support and for pointing out that Shalla-Bal is also an established Marvel Comics character.

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In April 2024, news broke about Julia Garner being cast as Silver Surfer, which sparked various reactions from comic book fans. Some were excited to see a new take on the character in a movie, while others expressed skepticism over a female version of the character being chosen for the first Marvel Cinematic Universe film featuring the Fantastic Four. Interestingly, Garner herself was initially unsure about her eligibility for the role, as she thought Silver Surfer was traditionally male. Notably, Doug Jones showed his support for Garner amidst the criticism.

In a different role, Shalla-Bal shares the same function as Radd did when he first appeared on screen. In the film “First Steps”, Shalla-Bal sets the stage for the arrival of the plant-consuming conqueror, Galactus, who covets Reed Richards and Sue Storm’s child, Franklin, to fulfill his own objectives. Consequently, this leads to a clash between the Surfer and the main team in the 2025 movie premiere, creating an enjoyable narrative for me.

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Based on my personal viewing experience, I must affirm that Julia Garner delivers an impressive acting performance. Whether her character makes another appearance in the future is uncertain, but I’d gladly welcome it. Furthermore, I’d be equally excited to see Doug Jones take on a new Marvel Cinematic Universe role. As I ponder potential roles for him, consider watching The Fantastic Four: First Steps in theaters at this moment.

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2025-07-27 01:10