The MCU isn’t just a vast collection of live-action projects based on famous Marvel Comics characters and stories. It is also home to millions of fans, old and new, who remain dedicated to following the lives of a wide variety of superheroes. While the Marvel Cinematic Universe is yet to fully scratch the surface in terms of incorporating the hundreds of heroes and villains into their projects, there will always be the more popular characters that fans anxiously wait to see introduced. One of these is the beloved fan favorite, Silver Surfer.
Silver Surfer was first introduced in 1966, making his first appearance in the 48th issue of The Fantastic Four comics. The character has been hailed as one of the comic book characters with the most well-written storylines and is a unique force in the entirety of Marvel Comics. Marked by his metallic skin, surfboard-like flying board, and his ability to travel faster than the speed of light, there are only a few that can match or surpass his skill or strength.
Fan casts of the Silver Surfer have been ongoing for several years now, and while many actors usually age out of whatever role the public sees them in, Silver Surfer is one that will be given the CGI treatment, so as long as they can meet the physical requirements, there’s not much else to worry about. This inadvertently opens up the choices for whom to play the humanoid. Speculations have been making the rounds that he and Galactus will be making their MCU debuts soon in a special Disney Plus presentation, but without an official word from Marvel Studios, all anyone can do is hope.
Here are six actors that should be considered for the role of Silver Surfer in the MCU.
Keanu Reeves
If any actor has been long associated with the Silver Surfer, it’s Keanu Reeves. With hundreds of fans online clamoring for him to star as the brooding superhero, it definitely would make for a wonderful debut into the MCU. Reeves has delivered more than enough performances in his long career that make him an excellent pick for such a character. From his iconic bouts as John Wick in the John Wick film franchise to Neo in The Matrix, this fan-favorite actor needs his time to shine in the MCU and continue his string of iconic characters.
Anthony Carrigan
Known for taking on fascinating and eccentric roles, Anthony Carrigan would undoubtedly make an excellent Silver Surfer. The actor’s credits include portraying the hilarious semi-villain and mobster NoHo Hank in Barry, Victor Zsasz in Gotham, and other characters that have a complex nature about them. His ability to convey deep emotion and sway viewers to his side, whether as a noble or antagonistic character is pretty admirable, and if the MCU ever wants to kick the storyline off with Silver Surfer’s treacherous past before his redemption, very few actors would do the role justice quite like Carrigan.
Bill Skarsgård
Bill Skarsgård has established himself as an actor that draws you in, carefully selecting only the most magnetic roles to play. This is an essential reason why he’d knock the role of Silver Surfer out of the park. By far his most recognizable role to date is that of Pennywise the Dancing Clown in It and It Chapter Two, but his filmography is packed with many more demanding performances, and he always delivers a stellar showcase each time.
Alan Tudyk
An underrated star who would absolutely kill it as Silver Surfer is Alan Tudyk. The actor prefers to stay out of the spotlight and let his work speak for itself, and with some amazing roles in his arsenal, Tudyk’s talents are immeasurable. He’s widely recognized for his role as Wash in the cult classic sci-fi television series Firefly, and having played so many various characters in several projects, his outstanding performances should easily earn him a chance to play the silver superhero.
Rami Malek
Oscar and Emmy winner Rami Malek has no shortage of eccentric roles to brag about, including portraying music legend Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody, Lyutsifer Safire in No Time to Die, and Elliot Anderson in Mr. Robot. Malek’s charisma on screen is a sight to behold, as he fully encapsulates whoever he’s portraying. From his subtle acting chops to his more in-your-face roles that have required him to play complex characters, Malek is more than capable of delivering a solid performance as Silver Surfer and is one name that pops up constantly in fan castings.
Doug Jones
Another stellar option to play Silver Surfer is Doug Jones, who has gained a reputation for playing characters that aren’t human. In the Fox film Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer released in 2007, Jones took on the titular role of the humanoid alien who starts out as a formidable foe for the famous superhero quartet before teaming up with them to battle Galactus. While Jones provided the body and motions of the character, Laurence Fishburne performed the voice acting for him. Even though it’s been a decade and a half since his portrayal, the role is still very much in Jones’ wheelhouse, and with a host of unique characters in his filmography, the actor and contortionist should definitely be considered for the part once again.
Often seen as a tragic character, Silver Surfer has had both his villainous and heroic moments, and the fans want justice for his live-action portrayal after the poorly received aforementioned Fox film.
There are many different storylines attributed to the superhero, but by far the most popular is his origin story as Norrin Radd from the planet Zenn-La, who traveled all across the cosmos in search of food for the planet-eating Galactus to devour. He eventually grew sympathetic to the humanity present on Earth, and betrayed Galactus in the process, but not before the almighty alien prevented him from ever leaving the planet. Now, bound by the barriers that have kept him a prisoner on earth, Silver Surfer has spent years in silent torment, treasuring nothing other than freedom from his shackles.
