Original Silver Surfer Doug Jones Shares His Thoughts on Julia Garner’s Role in THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS
When it comes to the Silver Surfer, Doug Jones knows a thing or two about gliding across the cosmos. The actor physically brought Marvel’s iconic herald to life in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, and now he’s weighing in on the character’s return in The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
With Julia Garner stepping into the role in Marvel Studios’ highly anticipated reboot, Jones is offering his thoughts on the new direction and he’s all in.
Back in 2007, Jones embodied the sleek, otherworldly presence of the Surfer in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. Reflecting on that experience, he described playing the character as “an honor,” pointing out how beloved and “angelic-like” the Silver Surfer has always been in the eyes of fans.
For Jones, it wasn’t just another job, it was a chance to represent a character with serious emotional and visual weight in the Marvel universe.
Fast forward to Marvel Studios’ reboot, and Jones was invited to the premiere along with other cast members from earlier Fantastic Four films. That gesture meant a lot.
He shared that the evening created a “nice connection of old and new,” bringing different generations of Marvel storytelling together. He even reunited with former co-star Ioan Gruffudd, which made the celebration even more special.
Of course, the big conversation surrounding The Fantastic Four: First Steps is Julia Garner’s take on the Silver Surfer. But as longtime comic readers know, this isn’t simply a reworking of Norrin Radd.
The film draws inspiration from Shalla-Bal, a character pulled directly from Marvel Comics lore. Jones made it clear that labeling the role as a gender swap misses the point.
Jones said: “I thought Julia Garner did such a gorgeous job. And it was nice, and it was interesting to see the female Silver Surfer based on Shalla-Bal, the character from the comic books.”
He also acknowledged the pressure Garner faced stepping into such an iconic role, especially knowing online reactions were bound to be mixed.
“It was brave of her to step into that, knowing that fans were going to be like, ‘Wait a second.’ But she was great and did it with great poise and great courage,” Jones explained.
It feels like a passing of the cosmic torch, and Jones seems genuinely excited to see where Marvel takes the Silver Surfer next.
Meanwhile, Jones isn’t slowing down. He currently headlines Operation Taco Gary’s, which hits theaters on February 27. Whether he’s covered in motion-capture silver or leading an offbeat new project, Jones continues to be one of genre entertainment’s most fascinating and talented performers.
It’s cool to see respect flowing between the old guard and the new.