‘Fantastic Four’ VFX Supervisor On Artistic Challenges Posed By Each Character’s Powers

Fantastic Four VFX Supervisor Scott Stokdyk talks about bringing the core four, plus a new Silver Surfer, to vivid, authentic life.

Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: First Steps wasn’t the first film to render the famed comic book quartet on the big screen. Aside from the famed never-released early 90s attempt, there have been three previous Fantastic Four films. Yet, none of those films’ visual effects truly felt fully realized in representing the core four’s — Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, The Thing — cosmic-birthed powers. Earlier attempts felt cartoonish, overly exaggerated, or strictly phoned in. Thankfully, Marvel Studios and director Matt Shakman vastly improved the Fantastic Four VFX.

Thanks to Academy Award-winning VFX Supervisor Scott Stokdyk, the update feels real and authentic. Reed Richards / Mr. Fantastic’s infamous stretching ability never becomes the butt of a joke. Ben Grimm / The Thing conveys the humanity of Ebon Moss-Bachrach’s performance. Even the controversial female Silver Surfer / Shalla-Bal (Julia Garner) is gorgeously rendered, refuting early reactions to split-second glimpses of the character in the trailer.

They’re exactly rendered as Stokdyk and team intended, online buzz be damned.

“I have to tune that out. At this point it’s like, it’s so easy to get caught up in first reaction kind of things. When I’m just in it and working on it, I just want to make these shots the best they are and focus on that,” Stokdyk explained. “If I think they look good and I know they’re going to look good, then I’m not worried about it.That’s just kind of noise to me.”

Here, in an interview with The Contending, Stokdyk talks about the process of bringing to vivid life the Fantastic Four’s powers. He talks about digging into anatomy — muscle, skin, bones — and learning how they stretch. He talks about retaining Bachrach’s emotional performance as The Thing within that rocky exterior. He also talks about capturing Julia Garner’s fully committed performance as Shalla-Bal through visual effects as a fully chromatic character.

“She’s so expressive, and there’s so many really deep emotional performances. On set, you’re just like flabbergasted on what she brings. Then, you get back, and you want to make sure the audience feels what I felt on set.”

Stokdyk shares details about taking Ralph Ineson to galactic heights as Galactus, eater of worlds. He also reveals the extensive collaboration between multiple departments that helped fashion the excellent finished product. Finally, he reveals which character posed the biggest challenge to render through VFX.

Click here to listen to my full interview with The Fantastic Four: First Steps Oscar-winning visual effects supervisor Scott Stokdyk.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps streams exclusively on Disney+.

Podcast Music:
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Track: Here We Go! by cinematic alex
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