Marvel Studios denies using any “generative artificial intelligence” software to create its newest poster for The Fantastic Four: First Steps. The first trailer for the movie dropped on Tuesday morning, along with a new poster showing a cheering crowd celebrating the superhero team. Commenters quickly picked out some oddities in the image, speculating that it may have been created using the controversial new technology. However, in a statement published by The Wrap, a spokesperson for Marvel said that “AI was not used in the creation of these posters.” The harsh reaction shows just how important this issue will be going forward, especially among artists themselves.
Videos by ComicBook.com
The new Fantastic Four poster shows a crowd of people waving flags, brandishing signs, and flashing cameras for “Marvel’s First Family.” In just a moment of scrutiny, it’s pretty clear that this picture wasn’t really taken with a full crowd, but likely cut together with creative editing. However, some of the inconsistencies stood out to fans as possible evidence of AI — multiple people with the same face, arms held out at awkward angles, and most importantly, hands that seem to have the wrong number of fingers.
Many of these could be explained with hasty photoshop and editing, but the unreal extremities have become the most infamous telltale sign of photoshop. It’s unclear how exactly this poster was made, but Marvel assures fans that it didn’t use AI software. Many commenters are clearly not convinced, and will need an alternate explanation for mistakes like the wrong number of fingers on some hands.
[RELATED: Fantastic Four Clearly Reveals a Major Avengers Connection (Which Explains RDJ’s Doom Casting)]
“Generative AI” software has become widely available in recent years, and is already in use to produce text, images, and videos cheaply rather than paying professional artists and writers. However, the programs struggle to deliver on their promises, often producing images with uncanny issues and text riddled with dangerously false information. On top of that, many people are opposed to the use of this technology because of the way it effects working artists. Not only does it promise to take jobs away from artists, the software is created by violating the intellectual property rights of past artists and authors.
If all that weren’t enough, generative AI uses much more energy than other forms of computing, thus producing more carbon dioxide emissions and contributing disproportionately to the climate crisis. The data centers that support generative AI use a large amount of fresh water as well, which has already had a marked impact on parts of the world with water shortages.
The implementation of this kind of software in Hollywood is a major issue, and it’s not clear if Marvel is against it altogether. However, the studio denies using AI for these Fantastic Four posters. The Fantastic Four: First Steps hits theaters on July 25th, 2025.
Most Viewed
-
Image courtesy of Apple TV+ -
Image Courtesy of NBC -
Image Courtesy of Marvel Studios
