Marvel has firmly denied the use of artificial intelligence in creating the posters for *The Fantastic Four: First Steps* following fan speculation sparked by an image featuring a man with what appears to be only four fingers. The marketing campaign for the film, which includes a teaser for its debut trailer and a series of posters released on social media, has drawn significant attention to this particular poster.
In the poster in question, fans noticed that the man holding the largest Fantastic Four flag on the left side seems to be missing a finger. This, along with other elements like duplicated faces, misaligned gazes, and disproportionately sized limbs, led some to suspect the use of generative AI in the poster's creation. However, a spokesperson from Disney/Marvel has assured IGN that no AI was used in making these posters, indicating other factors at play.
Regarding the four-fingered man, some have theorized that the missing finger might be concealed behind the flagpole, though this seems unlikely given the positioning and size of both the fingers and the pole. Alternatively, it could be a case of poor Photoshop work rather than AI involvement, pointing more towards human error in image editing.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps - Trailer 1 Stills
Disney/Marvel has not yet provided a specific explanation for the four-fingered man, leaving room for speculation. Some suggest it could be a simple mistake during post-production, where the finger might have been present in the original image but was removed without adjusting the rest of the hand. Similarly, repeated faces in the poster might be the result of common digital editing techniques rather than AI.
The debate over the use of AI in *The Fantastic Four: First Steps* poster has ignited a broader conversation and will likely lead to increased scrutiny of future promotional materials for the film. As the anticipation builds, fans can look forward to more insights on key characters such as Galactus and Doctor Doom.