The Fantastic Four reboot is on the horizon, and the audience’s excitement to learn about the cast of their favorite franchise is palpable. Rumors have started flying about Emmy-nominated Queen’s Gambit star Anya Taylor-Joy entering the MCU again after being Magik in the 2020s X-Men. She is not just entering with a whimper but a bang since, according to sources, Marvel is eyeing her for playing Silver Surfer in the MCU’s Fantastic Four.

Fantastic Four (2025)
Fantastic Four (2025) (Image via. IMDb)

After Guardians of the Galaxy ended, X-Men and the Fantastic Four are rumored to be taking center stage as Marvel’s priorities besides establishing the Young Avengers. The Fantastic Four is one of the oldest groups of superheroes. It is also one of Marvel’s most beloved franchises, as the 2005 version of Fantastic Four by Tim Story became the highest-grossing MCU movie written by an African American until Black Panther appeared on the scene. So, it is no surprise that the MCU would try to rebuild that success again with a talented cast and a more advanced storyline.

However, Silver Surfer, in the comics, is a male-identifying figure, and therefore, the MCU bending the rules has already started raising some eyebrows.

Is Anya Taylor-Joy appearing as Silver Surfer in the MCU’s Fantastic Four?

A prominent insider, Daniel Richtman, first broke the news on Taylor-Joy’s possibility of appearing as Silver Surfer in the MCU’s upcoming Fantastic Four reboot. Prior to Richtman, another insider, Jeff Sneider, also said in his podcast, The Hot Mic with Jeff Sneider, that the role of Silver Surfer is most certainly going to a woman. Although he did not mention anything about Anya Taylor-Joy.

Also Read: Shang-Chi Director Reportedly Exiting Avengers 5 Has Fans Convinced MCU is Axing Jonathan Majors’ Kang

If this is true, this would be the first time in MCU history that Silver Surfer’s role would be gender-bent. Earlier in an interview with EW, Kevin Feige said:

Kevin Feige
Kevin Feige (Image via. Variety)

“Fantastic Four is the foundation for everything that came after in the comics. There’s certainly been versions of it [on screen], but never inhabiting the storytelling of the MCU. And that’s something that is really exciting for us. 

He also added that the Fantastic Four will be a strong foundation of the post-Avengers MCU and that he wants to establish it as:

“A big pillar of the MCU going forward, just the way they’ve been in the comics for 50 or 60 years.”

Also Read: Kevin Feige Hints Marvel Heading Towards Reboot, Might Bring Back Fan-Favorite Characters to Save Sinking MCU

Matt Shakman in an interview with comicbook.com gave a hint that the upcoming reboot might not be what the audience is expecting at all, as the MCU is incorporating tons of changes:

Director Matt Shakman
Director Matt Shakman (Image via. Variety)

“I wish I could say more. But we are doing things very differently from a story standpoint, from an approach to the filmmaking standpoint, that really fits the material. I wish I could say more. I would love to, but I can’t. But I think it’s going to be unlike anything you’ve seen before, and certainly unlike anything at Marvel that you’ve seen before.”

Since it has historically been such an important franchise for Marvel, it is no wonder that they would want to experiment and bend the rules to see how far they can go and bring in some potentially revolutionary changes.

How are the fans reacting to the rumor regarding the Fantastic Four reboot cast?

The reaction has been overwhelmingly negative ever since X user (formerly Twitter) @blurayangel posted about Taylor-Joy being the Silver Surfer in the Fantastic Four, citing Daniel Richtman. Many criticized Marvel for trying to be “woke,” a criticism Marvel has been cursed with since She-Hulk. While some comments were tame, only wanting her back as Magik instead of Silver Surfer in the Fantastic Four, others were quite harsh. 

 

Also Read: 4 MCU Actors Who Almost Played a Different Marvel Superhero

Anya Taylor-Joy is quite an industry favorite due to her superb acting talents, and it remains to be seen how she does justice to this pathbreaking role in the MCU if the rumors are true.

The Fantastic Four is expected to release on May 2, 2025, as part of Marvel’s Phase 5 multiverse saga.

Explore from around the WEB