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Silver Surfer and Shalla-Bal holding onto each other.

Is There a Female Silver Surfer, Answered

Marvel is rounding out the cast of The Fantastic Four, with Julia Garner joining the film as Silver Surfer. The Herald of Galactus was a dude in the Tim Story movie, though, so what’s the deal? If you want to know whether there’s a female Silver Surfer, here’s the answer.

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Is There a Female Silver Surfer, Answered

Shalla Bal and Silver Surfer. This image is part of an article about whether there is a female Silver Surfer.

This isn’t the first time in recent days that a female version of a Marvel character has sparked debates online. The trailer for Marvel Rivals shows off what appears to be a female Galactus, and the Internet didn’t seem to understand why the game would change the iconic villain. However, just like Galacta is a character in her own right, the female Silver Surfer has a long history in Marvel Comics.

Garner will appear in The Fantastic Four as Shalla-Bal, who is typically depicted as the love interest of the original Silver Surfer, Norrin Radd. She’s the empress of Zenn-La, the planet Radd leaves behind by working for Galactus and taking on a portion of the Power Cosmic. Shalla-Bal ends up with some of the Power Cosmic as well, and that’s where her story may pick up in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Related: Who Is Fantastic Fourā€™s The Thing Actor Ebon Moss-Bachrach?

The MCU, for the most part, stays away from origin stories these days. So, it’s possible that, when The Fantastic Four starts, Radd has already been a Herald of Galactus and given his power to his beloved. Or, Kevin Feige and Co. may decide to skip over Radd entirely and have Shalla-Bal be the Silver Surfer from the jump. Either way, there is precedence for a female Silver Surfer, and the MCU is looking to take full advantage of that.

And that’s whether there is a female Silver Surfer.

The Fantastic Four hits theaters July 25, 2025.


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Author
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Jackson Hayes
Jackson Hayes is an Associate Editor at The Escapist. Starting his writing career in 2017, he quickly rose the ranks and became an editor. He's spent the last six years working at outlets such as CBR, Heroic Hollywood and Full Circle Cinema, where he's covered various sports games, Call of Duty, the MCU, and other major properties. You can follow him on Twitter @jacksonhayes67