The Fantastic Four: First Steps Posters AI Use Denied By Marvel

Summary

The Fantastic Four: First Stepstrailer and posters were released on February 4th, officially kickstarting the long-awaited MCU film’s marketing campaign. However, Marvel Studios had to set the record straight after fans started hurling familiar accusations toward the studio.

TheFantastic Four: First Stepstrailer was largely acclaimed, increasing the already palpable excitement for the long-waited MCU debut of Marvel’s First Family. However, Marvel Studios unveiled multiple posters just before theFantastic Four: First Stepstrailerwas released, and eagle-eyed fans instantly noticed irregularities. In a poster pictured below, fans spotted characters with four fingers, duplicated faces, irregular head sizes, and other bizarre details. This led viewers to one conclusion: Marvel Studios must have used AI to create theFantastic Four: First Stepsposters.

Did Marvel Use AI to Make The Fantastic Four: First Steps Posters?

The Wrapreports that aMarvel spokesperson confirmed to the online publication that AI was not used to create theFantastic Four: First Stepsposters.Despite Marvel’s clarification, several fans on Twitter remain unconvinced and have criticized Marvel Studios’ response. UserLouis Wonghumorously noted that if theFantastic Four: First Stepsposters didn’t use AI, giving the characters in the poster four fingers must have been a conscious decision. Others attributed the bizarre details in theFantastic Four: First Stepsposters to bad Photoshop work, which may not be far from the truth.

Is There Another Explanation For The Weird Fantastic Four Poster Details?

A Twitter user namedMichael Kloskaoffered a potential explanation for the poster, citing his experience working in the “creative industry” and making similar pieces. According to Kloska, the designer is usually given stock images made by the production team and tasked with creating photos using the material provided. As such, the unusual details spotted in theFantastic Four: First Stepposters could be attributed to Adobe programs like Photoshop. However, Kloska concedes that AI was likely used for color grading or filtering.

This is not the first time fans have accused Marvel Studios of using AI.The first officialThunderbolts*posterprompted accusations that Marvel Studios used AI to create the image when fans noted that Lewis Pullman’s character Sentry seemingly had six fingers. While a reasonable explanation debunked these assertions, maybe fans can’t be blamed for jumping to conclusions. Marvel Studios openly used AI to create theSecret Invasionopening credits, sparking controversy for what would become of the MCU’s most critically panned projects.

AI continues to be a hot topic, particularly regarding its use in Hollywood. While some people likeDonald Glover argue AI can be a useful toolif handled responsibly, others believe it deprives artists of jobs while delivering inferior results. Some fans responded to Marvel Studios' denial with concern, noting that the time may come when fans can’t tell if AI was used on a project, which could prompt Hollywood to employ artificial intelligence more frequently. WithThe Brutalistbeing a frontrunner to win Best Picture and some acting accolades despite admittedly using AI to alter actors' accents and create architectural blueprints and buildings, the controversy surrounding AI likely won’t wind down anytime soon. Fans may not have reason to cry foul now, but Marvel Studios has used AI before, so why wouldn’t they use it again?

The Fantastic Four: First Stepsis scheduled to be released in theaters on July 18, 2025.