A recent stir has emerged over some posters released with the debut trailer for “Fantastic Four: First Steps,” with murmurs suggesting that they might have been crafted using AI. Marvel, however, has firmly denied these claims.
It’s becoming increasingly challenging to distinguish between AI-generated content and traditional creations as technology advances. Gone are the days when a suspicious-looking image could be easily dismissed as a sloppy Photoshop job. Nowadays, the immediate reaction to anything that appears off is, “Could this be AI?” This precise scenario unfolded when two posters for “Fantastic Four: First Steps” were unveiled alongside its trailer. It’s not hard to see where the speculation stemmed from when you take a closer look at them.
One key aspect fueling these suspicions is a woman’s face that inexplicably appears twice in the crowd, and then there’s the flag-waving individual with the Fantastic Four banner, noticeably missing a finger. It’s a known telltale sign of AI when the digit count doesn’t quite add up. Moreover, the lighting in both posters strikes a peculiar note, which is often a red flag with AI-produced images. Nonetheless, a Marvel spokesperson assured The Hollywood Reporter that AI played no part in creating these posters. This leaves us wondering: if not AI, then why do they look so lackluster?
This situation highlights a broader issue – Marvel seemingly opting for cost-cutting measures, which don’t align with the financial resources at their disposal. It’s particularly perplexing because the movie’s trailer hints at the use of tangible sets, breaking away from the green screen overload seen in recent productions. While I’m inclined to think these are simply poorly executed Photoshop endeavors, the identical repetition of a face, something AI wouldn’t generally do, adds to my skepticism. It raises a bigger question about Marvel’s current direction: if they’re skimping on even the smallest details, why should audiences feel compelled to watch their latest release?
Let’s hope the actual film delivers when it hits theaters on July 25. Until then, we’ll just have to wait and see how things unfold.
