On Valentine’s Day, Marvel Studios announced the cast of The Fantastic Four with an artwork, hinting at what fans can expect from Marvel’s First Family. Maybe time travel? A period piece? Today, it’s been reported that Julia Garner will be joining as Shalla-Bal, who in the comics was the lover of Norrin Radd, the Silver Surfer, and would later become Galactus’ herald. So it seems we’re getting some sort of adventure involving cosmic space, and if the Silver Surfer is attached, let’s hope we get Galactus in on the action.

Garner can be seen in Netflix’s Ozark and Inventing Anna, and she is joining the cast including Pedro Pascal (HBO’s The Last of Us) as Reed Richards, Vanessa Kirby (Napoleon) as Sue Storm, Joseph Quinn (Stranger Things) as Johnny Storm, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Hulu’s The Bear, Disney+’s Andor) as Ben Grimm.

Shalla-Bal made her first appearance in 1968’s Silver Surfer #1 and was created by Stan Lee and John Buscema. Deadline reports that Shalla-Bal will be “a version of Silver Surver” in the movie, which could mean that she’ll likely get a new Marvel Cinematic Universe treatment.

As for Garner, she can also be seen in Dirty John, The Royal Hotel, The Assistant and Grandma. Movie-goers can see her next in Wolf Man, the reboot by Blumhouse that’s due to hit theaters in January 2025.

The Fantastic Four is being directed by Matt Shakman, who helmed WandaVision, from a screenplay by Eric Pearson (Thor: Ragnarok, Black Widow).

The Silver Surfer is a popular Marvel character, and audiences were able to see him in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. Galactus’ Herald was performed by Doug Jones (Hellboy) and voiced by Laurence Fishburne (The Matrix).

The Fantastic Four will be released in theaters on July 25, 2025.

Featured image: Julia Gardner in Ozark. Photo by Steve Dietl/Netflix. Shalla-bal. Courtesy of Marvel.