The Fantastic Four was 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 Fox is 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.
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Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer Flopped Hard
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Director |
Tim Story |
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Writers |
Don Payne, Mark Frost, John Turman |
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Stars |
Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, Michael Chiklis |
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Release Date |
June 15, 2007 |
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Runtime |
92 Minutes |
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer technically (probably) made its money back 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 Surfer suffered the wrath of critics. It earned a 38% positive rating, beating its predecessor by 10%. Among the countless options, Rise of the Silver Surfer doesn’t rank among the worst superhero movies ever made. It’s arguably the best Fantastic Four movie 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 in Rise of the Silver Surfer?
Two actors portray the Silver Surfer in Rise of the Silver Surfer. Beloved actor and contortionist Doug Jones provides the physical presence of the titular hero, while Matrix and John Wickstar Laurence Fishburne lends 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 in Hellboy, the Faun and the Pale Man in Pan’s Labyrinth, the ghosts in Crimson Peak, and The Amphibian Man in The Shape of Water. When del 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 first Hellboy, 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 Fishburne to 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 in Pan’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 Surfer is a pile of wasted potential. Almost every performer in the film delivers a suitable take 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 2007 TMNT movie, 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 Surfer delivers a decent showcase for the character. It’s a microcosm of the 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 whether The Fantastic Four will depict a new Silver Surfer with a more impressive spotlight.
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