TheFantastic Fourwas once the most notable team of superheroes in Marvel’s considerable catalog. The overwhelming prominence of the Marvel Cinematic Universe violently rearranged the power rankings of every figure in the franchise. The Fantastic Four struggled on the big screen four times, but Marvel Studios will soon give them a fifth chance. Among those attempts, the Silver Surfer only earned one live-action appearance. As Julia Garner prepares to deliver a new take on the character, it’s time to look back at Norrin Radd’s debut.
Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Foxis and will always be a net negative for blockbuster entertainment. The massive company consolidated most of its rivals into its endless empire, reducing the potential for competition in a crowded market. The limited upside is that the MCU is the only decent cinematic universe on offer, so every new addition widens the franchise’s purview and enables future collaboration. One could make an argument that Marvel deserves their creations for artistic purposes.
Runtime
92 Minutes
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfertechnically (probably) made its moneyback at the box office. The terrible sequel earned $301.9 million on a $120-130 million budget. That suggests a payout between $61 million and $41 million, accounting for marketing. Its predecessor earned more than double that, with a significantly lower budget and higher box office take.Rise of the Silver Surfersuffered the wrath of critics. It earned a 38% positive rating, beating its predecessor by 10%. Among the countless options,Rise of the Silver Surferdoesn’t rank among the worst superhero movies ever made. It’s arguably the bestFantastic Fourmovie to date, setting an alarmingly low bar for Marvel. Its cast provided much of the limited value to be found in the film.
Who Played the Silver Surfer inRise of the Silver Surfer?
Two actors portray the Silver Surfer inRise of the Silver Surfer. Beloved actor and contortionist Doug Jones provides the physical presence of the titular hero, whileMatrixandJohn Wickstar Laurence Fishburnelends his voice. Jones may be the best-known prosthetic performer alive today. His physicality and unique presence bring non-human characters to life. Jones is best known for several celebrated collaborations with Guillermo del Toro. He’s behind the makeup as Abe Simian inHellboy, the Faun and the Pale Man inPan’s Labyrinth, the ghosts inCrimson Peak, and The Amphibian Man inThe Shape of Water. Whendel Toro needs a monster, he calls Doug Jones.
Jones reportedly believed he’d also provide the Silver Surfer’s voice. He was previously dubbed in the firstHellboy, but he spoke as Abe in the sequel. Fox left several key questions unanswered until a few months before the film’s release. They intended to leave their Silver Surfer silent,but later cast Fishburneto add more star power to the project. Jones later added a clause to his contract forbidding studios from overdubbing his performances in English. He was dubbed again inPan’s Labyrinth, where native Spanish speakers provided more fluent dialogue. Despite the controversy, their casting is far from the biggest problem with the character’s portrayal.
Silver Surfer Struggled With the Rest of the Cast
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surferis a pile of wasted potential. Almost every performer in the film delivers a suitabletake on their character. They can only do so much with the script they’re given to work with. Doug Jones imbues his Silver Surfer with his usual physicality, making him entertaining to watch through the VFX. Laurence Fishburne’s voice work is effective, if uninspired. It’s oddly reminiscent of his narrator role in the 2007TMNTmovie, in which he also sounds a bit bored, despite his weighty dialogue. The action set pieces use Silver Surfer well, especially in his encounter with the military. While the character certainly could be more compelling,Rise of the Silver Surferdelivers a decent showcase for the character. It’s a microcosm ofthe film’s larger problems. Most of it doesn’t work, but the things that play well feel like they could be better.
The Silver Surfer can be difficult to portray in live action. He can’t be accurately conveyed through practical effects.Doug Jones was an inspired casting choice. The physical presence of the character will be all-important. While the Silver Surfer is a bright spot in his big-screen debut, the script can’t find much for him to do. Fans will have to wait and see whetherThe Fantastic Fourwill depict a new Silver Surfer with a more impressive spotlight.
