Did AI Influence the Design of Fantastic Four: First Steps Posters? Marvel Denies, but Raises Questions About Their Quality

A wave of controversy hit the Fantastic Four: First Steps when its first trailer dropped alongside some posters, which some folks quickly accused of being AI creations. Marvel, however, insists that’s not the case.

In today’s world, discerning between AI-generated and human-created content is becoming increasingly challenging as technology keeps advancing. Gone are the days when a peculiar image could simply be dismissed as a poor Photoshop attempt. Now, the immediate reaction to any unusual visual? “Is this AI?” This scrutiny surfaced again this week when the promotional materials for The Fantastic Four: First Steps were released. If you take a glance at the posters, it’s understandable why some might suspect artificial intelligence was at play.

One curious detail involves a woman’s face showing up twice among the crowd, and a person prominently waving a Fantastic Four flag appears to have only four fingers—a common giveaway for AI-generated visuals as they often struggle with finger counts. The lighting also seems a bit off, contributing to the AI suspicion. Yet, Marvel’s spokesperson assured The Hollywood Reporter that AI wasn’t involved in crafting these posters. If that’s accurate, we have to ask ourselves: why do they look as subpar as they do?

This situation seems to highlight a broader issue with Marvel’s cost-cutting tactics, especially when we know the studio’s financial capacity to deliver higher quality work. Strangely enough, this seems inconsistent with their latest trailer, which appears to feature genuine sets—a refreshing departure from the overused green screen techniques. Personally, I lean towards these being poorly done Photoshop projects, mainly because AI tends to vary facial features rather than repeat them identically. But it certainly raises a question: why invest in seeing a Marvel movie if even minor promotional materials are handled with such frugality?

We’ll likely have to wait until July 25th, when the film hits theaters, to see if the rest of the project steps up beyond its promotional missteps.