But, as pointed out in the original casting report and as we now know from seeing the movie, Garner did not simply replace Silver Surfer with a female version. She plays someone separate from the Norrin Raad character that’s actually in the comics: Shalla-Bal.

Fantastic Four: First Steps marks the first time the Silver Surfer has appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It was a bit jarring for some that Julia Garner was cast as the surfer and that they were a woman instead of a man. However, there’s a possible explanation for why this is different from the comics and previous Fantastic Four movies.

The Silver Surfer's long odyssey through the Marvel Universe is coming to an end, but a new version of the beloved icon is soon to debut.