Julia Garner’s comments about a Silver Surfer spinoff suggest The Fantastic Four: First Steps‘ biggest missing character will make his MCU debut sooner rather than later. In The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Julia Garner’s Silver Surfer arrives on the Fantastic Four’s alternate-universe Earth to warn the team about Galactus’ imminent arrival. This marks the second appearance by a Silver Surfer on the big screen, as well as the first time a female Silver Surfer is adapted to live-action. In traditional Silver Surfer fashion, Julia Garner’s Silver Surfer may side with the heroes and turn against Galactus.

Ahead of The Fantastic Four: First Steps‘ July 2025 release, Julia Garner addresses the possibility of a Silver Surfer spinoff, telling EW she’d “one hundred percent” “love to do” an MCU Silver Surfer spinoff with an air of “mystery” around it. Garner’s comments come eighteen years after Silver Surfer’s live-action debut in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, which spawned plans for a Norrin Radd Spinoff. Unfortunately, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer‘s negative reception led every potential spinoff and sequel to cancellation.

A Silver Surfer Spinoff Is The Perfect Place To Introduce Norrin Radd

The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ Silver Surfer Spinoff Could Follow Shalla-Bal And Norrin Radd’s Origin

In the comics, Norrin Radd falls in love with Shalla-Bal in their home planet, Zenn-La, before Norrin offers to become Galactus’ Herald. As the Silver Surfer, Norrin Radd leads Galactus to other planets for the villain’s consumption, and Norrin eventually sides with the Fantastic Four. Meanwhile, Shalla-Bal becomes a natural leader to her people, earning the role of Empress of Zenn-La. Norrin Radd and Shalla-Bal reunite multiple times, rekindling their love and drifting apart as multiple villains strain their relationship. In a single comic book issue, Shalla-Bal gains Silver Surfer’s Herald powers temporarily.

The MCU apparently gives Shalla-Bal the role Norrin Radd has in the source material. If The Fantastic Four: First Steps leads to a Silver Surfer spinoff, a Shalla-Bal prequel movie could introduce the MCU’s Norrin Radd and explain why Galactus didn’t recruit him in this universe. The reason why the MCU’s Norrin Radd didn’t follow his dreams of fighting for Zenn-La is a mystery that leaves many questions open. And if part of The Fantastic Four: First Steps‘ Silver Surfer spinoff takes place in the present day, it could also transform Norrin Radd into a second Silver Surfer.

A Silver Surfer Spinoff Could Also Be Galactus’ Perfect Origin Story

Galactus’ Origin Story Could Be On Par With Thanos’

Galactus’ live-action debut in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer was received extremely poorly due to his cloud-like appearance and his lack of anthropomorphic behavior. The Fantastic Four: First Steps will fix this problem with Ralph Ineson’s comic-accurate Galactus portrayal. Afterward, a Silver Surfer spinoff could dive deeper into Galactus’ lore and explore his own tragic origin story. In the source material, the mortal being Galan of Taa is chosen by the Sixth Cosmos to survive its destruction and become a cosmic being in the Seventh Cosmos, with the condition that he would have to consume planets in order to survive.

The idea of an MCU Silver Surfer spinoff provides the perfect recipe for a movie with two parallel stories. In one, Shalla-Bal and Norrin Radd sacrifice their freedom to protect their world. In the other, Galactus is cursed to wipe out billions of innocent lives. Considering how effective Thanos’ retelling of his origin story was in Avengers: Infinity War, a spinoff movie that explores Galactus’ origin on-screen could make Ralph Ineson’s Devourer of Worlds an empathetic villain just as popular as Josh Brolin’s Mad тιтan.

A Silver Surfer Spinoff Could Be The Launchpad For The MCU’s Next Wave Of Cosmic Stories

Silver Surfer Is The Ideal Character To Lead The MCU’s Cosmic Stories After The Guardians Of The Galaxy

After Thor established the cosmic corner of the MCU, the Guardians of the Galaxy became the leading stars of this side of the franchise, setting the stage for characters like Captain Marvel, Thanos, Adam Warlock, the Eternals, and the Celestials. After Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 retired the original Guardians, the MCU doesn’t seem to be revisiting their side of the galaxy anytime soon. After The Fantastic Four: First Steps, a Silver Surfer movie could introduce a new wave of cosmic characters in the MCU, including Nova, Quasar, Gladiator, Annihilus, and the Phoenix Force.

Depending on whether the MCU’s Silver Surfer spinoff took place before or after the events of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, new cosmic characters and storylines could be hinted at. For example, Shalla-Bal and Silver Surfer could cross paths with the Phoenix Force long before it chooses Jean Grey as its host, or they could fight and team up with Richard Rider after he adopts the Nova mantle following Thanos’ destruction of Xandar. After traveling to the MCU’s Earth-616, Julia Garner’s Silver Surfer could also meet Rocket Raccoon’s new Guardians of the Galaxy team and prepare for Avengers: Doomsday‘s conflict with them.

Upcoming MCU Movies

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  Thunderbolts*

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  May 2, 2025
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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  The Fantastic Four: First Steps

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  July 25, 2025
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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  Avengers: Doomsday

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  May 1, 2026
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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  Spider-Man: Brand New Day

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  July 31, 2026
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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  Avengers: Secret Wars

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  May 7, 2027
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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