Summary
Marvel’sThe Fantastic Four: First Stepsis a movie that Marvel Cinematic Universe fans eagerly anticipate when it releases on May 16, 2025, with audiences keen to see how the iconic characters are handled. However, while fans are thinking about how the upcoming movie plays out, it appears that Marvel Studios is already looking ahead to the future of these characters.
While it has already been confirmed that the Fantastic Four will be returning inAvengers: Doomsday, Marvel Studios is reportedly already considering a spinoff beyondThe Fantastic Four: First Steps. The rumored ideas sound exciting, but the risk involved in taking this approach makes it a gamble.
Marvel Studios Is Reportedly Planning A Silver Surfer Spinoff
The Fantastic Four: The First Steps Spinoff Project Is Already In Development
The Fantastic Four will be the primary focus of the upcoming movie, and the titular heroes are the ones audiences are most excited to see brought to life. However,The Fantastic Four: First Stepswill feature several other popular characters, including the Silver Surfer. Julia Garner is going to be bringing that role to the MCU, and there’s a lot of anticipation abouthow her character will be portrayed. From the trailers alone and the comic book history of the Silver Surfer, it’s expected that she will be going against the Fantastic Four and will act as one of the villains in this movie. However, according to industry insiderDaniel Richtman,Marvel Studios is now planning a spinoff project based on the Silver Surfer.
It’s unknown whether that’s going to be a solo movie or a television project for Disney Plus, but it is going to be based around Garner’s character.There had been previous reports that a special presentation project was being based around the Silver Surfer, similar to what Marvel Studios is putting together forThe Punisher in the near future. However, it remains to be seen whether that’s the case, and how they will look to build interest surrounding a character who could end up being a villain.
Marvel Studios Doesn’t Know How Fans Will React To The Silver Surfer
There Is A Potential That People Will Have No Interest In This Project
The Silver Surfer is a unique character that provides Marvel Studios with the opportunity to do a lot of unique things. The visuals that can be created on this character are different from many others, and a special project based purely on this role has the potential to be interesting if done right. However, there is a risk to it as theSilver Surfer is an unknown commoditywithin the franchise,regardless of how popular the character is within the comic book world, or how talented Garner is as an actress.The Silver Surfer is someone who needs to prove they’re entertaining enough to not only be involved in future projects but also lead one, which is a tall task for any character within the MCU.
Marvel Studios Would Be Smarter To Wait For Reactions Before Pushing New Projects
The Future Of The Franchise Needs To Be Planned In More Detail
Marvel Studios might be excited about the potential that Silver Surfer has, which is a promising sign that the character will play a significant role inThe Fantastic Four: First Steps,but that doesn’t mean that they should rush. Of course, if Garner’s performance is brilliant, then the decision to already create a project based around her would be a smart one. However, the flip side of that is a big risk, in that if Marvel fans don’t care about Silver Surfer, there won’t be an interest in a solo project, which is why they shouldn’t rush into things. Slowing down and waiting to see what the reception is to her character would be the best strategy, as it would lower the risk to ensure that whatever Marvel is planning for the Silver Surfer works and has interest behind it.
The most recent phase of the MCU has been difficult, with interest down across the board and too many projects falling short of what audiences expect in terms of quality. That is why the next set of movies is crucial for Marvel Studios to get the franchise back on track.The Fantastic Four: First Stepsis beingfollowed by aSpider-Manmovieand then consecutiveAvengersfilms, all of which should thrive at the box office. But beyond that, Marvel Studios needs the next few phases to take the franchise back to its best, with the focus being on great quality, rather than just rushing out different projects to entertain people. Slowing down the build toward the mysterious Silver Surfer project is the best way to go with this project, allowingThe Fantastic Four: First Stepsto settle first, giving Marvel an idea of where to go moving forward.
