Originally, Spider-Man trilogy director Jon Watts was brought in to helm the upcoming Fantastic Four picture. However, the notable MCU creative left the project in 2022, deciding to take a break from superhero-centric films. Watts is being replaced by “WandaVision” creative Matt Shakman, who has also directed “Game of Thrones” episodes for HBO. We know that “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” writer Josh Friedman is co-writing the project with Cameron Squires, who also worked on “WandaVision.”
A lack of plot details hasn’t stopped fans from speculating, including who the villain will be. While Jeff Sneider suggests that Galactus is in the picture, the reporter doesn’t confirm if the Silver Surfer will debut in that film or another MCU project. Knowing the property, it’s possible the character could appear in a movie or TV show divorced from the Fantastic Four mythos. As for the Silver Surfer being female, it would be an interesting, though not uncommon, change for the franchise.
The MCU has previously gender-swapped certain characters. In the comic books, Tasksmaster is typically seen as someone who identifies as a male. In “Black Widow,” the terrifying assassin was portrayed as a female by Olga Kurylenko. Then there’s The Ancient One, usually seen as an older man of Asian descent. In “Doctor Strange,” the character was (controversially) played by Tilda Swinton. The comics have also featured a female version of the Silver Surfer, called Juno, though it’s unclear if this iteration of the villain will make the jump to the big screen.
