Marvel Studios is pushing back against claims that AI was used to generate the Fantastic Four: First Steps poster, but fans aren’t convinced. The denial came through Deadline, a longtime access media outlet that, unsurprisingly, is taking Marvel’s word for it without question.
Marvel Studios didn’t use AI to make the new poster for its upcoming big July release, ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps.’
A rep from Marvel Studios tells Deadline that AI wasn’t used. There was speculation online that the comic book powerhouse used AI to make the poster given… pic.twitter.com/YICe6vftU4
— Deadline (@DEADLINE) February 5, 2025
In the X post above, you’ll note that Deadline casts no doubt on this statement. It’s not a quote from Marvel, it’s now “Marvel claims it didn’t use AI.” It’s a very definitive “Marvel Studios didn’t use AI.” In the actual article, Deadline simply cites the word of a Marvel representative. There was no confirmation on who the supposedly human artists were who produced the poster, nor was there a quote from the artists detailing all the hard creative work they put into it.
Speculation exploded online when sharp-eyed fans noticed glaring issues in the poster. One character appears to have only four fingers, another seems to be missing a leg, and a rope in the background looks like it was awkwardly covered with text—classic signs of AI-generated artwork. On top of that, two female characters have near-identical faces, a well-documented flaw of AI image generation.
An X user calling themselves Kris detailed all the inconsistencies in the thread below.
Marvel’s new Fantastic Four posters are literally AI and here’s a thread breakdown:
4 fingers pic.twitter.com/bMxS1C5uqh
— Kris ☯ (@kris_uniwolf) February 5, 2025
Marvel, of course, claims there’s nothing to see here. Its representative told Deadline that AI was not used, but that statement does little to quiet the skepticism. After all, this is the same studio that did use AI for the intro sequence of Secret Invasion, a decision that was widely criticized as a lazy, cost-cutting move at the expense of real artists.
Interestingly, Deadline defends the Secret Invasion credits in its article, stating that, “it fit the series’ shape-shifting plot.”
The Thing and Herbie the Robot in Fantastic Four: First Steps – YouTube, Marvel Entertainment
Given that track record, many fans believe Marvel simply got caught and is now trying to run damage control.
The Fantastic Four poster dropped alongside the first teaser trailer, and with the Super Bowl right around the corner, Marvel is gearing up for a major marketing push. But instead of focusing on excitement for the film, the conversation is being hijacked by questions over whether Marvel is once again relying on AI instead of human creativity. The studio can deny it all they want, but unless they provide actual proof, the inconsistencies in the poster speak for themselves and people who aren’t on Deadline’s payroll will question it.
Does This Controversy Point to a Bigger Problem?
This latest controversy only adds to the skepticism surrounding Fantastic Four: First Steps. Marvel has been on shaky ground with fans, and many see this film as a make-or-break moment for the MCU. The studio has struggled to generate excitement for its recent projects, with new heroes like Captain Marvel, Moon Knight, the Eternals, and Echo failing to resonate with audiences. Meanwhile, their strategy of replacing classic heroes with mantle-swapped counterparts—such as Kate Bishop as Hawkeye, Riri Williams as Ironheart, Shuri as Black Panther, and Sam Wilson as Captain America—has largely fallen flat.
The first Fantastic Four trailer raised some concerns when it dropped yesterday. While it featured the four main heroes, a fully CGI version of The Thing, and even HERBIE the Robot, one key element was missing—Julia Garner’s female Silver Surfer. Marvel made the controversial decision to gender-swap the classic character Norrin Radd, and yet, they conspicuously left her out of the teaser.
Galactus in Fantastic Four: First Steps – YouTube, Marvel Entertainment
Meanwhile, fans were given a very brief look at Galactus.
Between the AI accusations and the Silver Surfer controversy, Fantastic Four: First Steps is already off to a rocky start. Whether this movie becomes the MCU’s saving grace or its latest disaster remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: fans aren’t buying what Marvel (or Deadline) is selling.
Do you believe that Marvel used AI for the Fantastic Four: First Steps poster? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
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