A new Fantastic Four reboot is currently in the works, and this one seemingly intends to right all the wrongs that the previous films from the original saga did. If anything, it seems to be especially setting a different course for the Silver Surfer than was seen in the previous installments, considering the most recent casting reports.
According to news from sources, Norrin Radd will seemingly have a new companion by his side when he gets introduced in the upcoming movie: Shalla-Bal, the character Julia Garner has been cast in. Judging from the turn of events, Garner’s character just might end up fixing one mistake that the old F4 film did with the Herald of Galactus’ story.
Julia Garner’s Shalla-Bal Could Make the Silver Surfer’s Arc More Interesting
As per exclusive reports from Deadline, the next reboot iteration of the original F4 saga from the Marvel Cinematic Universe will introduce one more character, though this one would be a lesser-known one to the non-comic book readers: Shalla-Bal.
The actress cast in the respective role is reportedly Julia Garner, the 30-year-old stunner best known for her jaw-dropping performance as Ruth Langmore in Ozark.
But who is this new character Garner has been cast as, and just how could she make Norrin Radd’s character arc better?
To explain that, allow us to dive a bit into this new character’s backstory: Back when the Cosmic Wanderer was still a simple man named Norrin Radd, he was paired with Shalla-Bal. This woman was the person who was his companion through all his grief and sufferings, happiness and joy.
Also known as the Keeper of the Great Truth, she is an incredibly powerful character who eventually transformed into the love interest of Norrin Radd — the first one to ever exist, at that. Thus, they had quite a special connection.
For the non-comic book readers: Helena is not only entangled with Mephisto, but she has also served as the empress of Zenn-La in her storyline. At one point, she even goes on to become Galactus’ Herald alongside Radd in Earth-X.
Thus, introducing her in this new storyline developed for The Fantastic Four just might end up serving tremendously in Surfer’s arc, further making Radd’s story all the more interesting to explore at the same time.
Old Fantastic Four Film Didn’t Do Justice to the Silver Surfer
In the original film from 2007, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, quite a few comic fans believed the Surfer’s character arc wasn’t done justice. This was evident from the rotten ratings on the Tomatometer (only 38%) and the critical reviews that followed.
One of the major reasons behind such terrible ratings could inevitably be the exclusion of Norrin Radd’s lover in the storyline, considering how she was one of the most important characters in his story arc in the comics.
As @JoseYoungs on X himself admitted while talking about Garner’s character:
“You can’t tell Silver Surfer’s story without her.”
Shalla-Bal was Silver Surfer's love interest when he was Norrin Radd.
She's tangled with Mephisto, served as empress of Zenn-La, and even became Galactus' herald alongside Sufer in Earth-X.
You can't tell Silver Surfer's story without her. https://t.co/NM4mIFAczS pic.twitter.com/KweU64876m
— José Youngs (@JoseYoungs) April 3, 2024
Thus, it could be assumed this exclusion led to the doom of the second F4 film in the saga. However, now that the Keeper of the Great Truth is finally brought forward to reclaim her rightful place alongside the Surfer, all of these wrongs with Radd’s character arc just might end up being right.
The only thing that remains to be seen is how Marvel decides to approach this new character: The same way as she was shown in the comics or through their unique approach? Guess we’ll just have to wait for the F4 reboot’s release on 25 July 2025, to know for sure!
