A rumor has begun circulating that the Silver Surfer movie is now dead. The rumor seems to have started with IGN who, after reading comments made by J. Michael Straczynski in an interview with Collider, have reported the following via an article titled ‘Silver Surfer Dead‘:

Don’t expect to see a Silver Surfer movie for a while, according to Ninja Assassin scribe J. Michael Straczynski, who was tasked with co-writing the flick.

At no stage in his interview with Collider did Straczynski say or allude that the Silver Surfer film was dead, or that it would be delayed. He merely confirmed that his original script, which told a story that unfolds after the events of Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, was no longer applicable.

Unfortunately a number of other blogs/news sites are taking IGN’s article on board and posting that the Silver Surfer movie isn’t going to happen. All of these reports stem back to the original Collider interview which has simply been taken out of context.

The fact remains that whilst Fox are keeping a secretive lid on things, nothing Straczynski has said to Collider has changed a thing. A movie based on the Silver Surfer remains in active development.

Scene from Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer

Verifying my speculation in this article, during a recent interview with Collider Babylon 5 guru J. Michael Straczynski has confirmed that his original script for the Silver Surfer movie will no longer be suitable for the upcoming film.

Straczynski wrote a script for a Silver Surfer movie that was slated to be a sequel to Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. The script was said to be pretty good, taking off immediately from the end of Fantastic Four 2 and picking up the back story of why Silver Surfer was working for Galactus. The story was to follow the Silver Surfer as he raced to his homeworld in fear that his betrayal of Galactus would lead the planet eater back there to destroy it.  Sounds cool, but that’s not the story we’re going to get.

From Collider:

Q: Is your Silver Surfer draft dead?

JMS: What happened was when FF2 didn’t do as well as they hoped it would do, it caused them to call into question a Silver Surfer movie. The script that I wrote picked up right where FF2 left off. So if they do a Silver Surfer film down the road, it’ll have to be its own separate things.

Q: Fans thought the tone wasn’t right. Was yours geared at children?

JMS: It was definitely adult fare. I wanted to tell the origin of the Surfer and get into that whole thing.

From the tone of Straczynski’s reply it would seem he’s also completely unaware of what’s happening with the Silver Surfer film. It’s probably fair to say that Fox don’t intend for him to be involved given that the script for the film is, apparently, in active development as we speak. If true that, to my mind, is potentially bad news – although I say that without any clue as to who is actually working on the script. Fox are deathly quiet on dropping any screenwriter names, so what exactly ‘active development’ means right now is anybody’s guess.

For now, we just have to sit tight and be happy that it is in active development.

Doug Jones as the 'Silver Surfer'

Although rumors that Doug Jones will reprise his role as the Silver Surfer in the upcoming Marvel Enterprises Silver Surfer movie are at this stage false, information has emerged that Doug Jones is, at the very least, still under contract to play the Silver Surfer.

Jones confirmed as much during an exclusive interview with It’s Just Movies, verifying that he’ll remain under contract for either two more years or for two more films as the Silver Surfer, whichever comes first (which, no doubt, will be the two more years).

From It’s Just Movies:

Where are we on another “Silver Surfer” movie?

Doug Jones: Your guess is as good as mine … probably better. There are still a couple of years left on their option for two more pictures with me, as a three-picture deal is quite standard when starting a franchise-potential character. But with all the “re-boot” talk of the Fantastic Four, I have no idea where that leaves the Silver Surfer end of things. I would love to re-visit this character. I do love Norrin Radd.

Casting on Silver Surfer won’t start until a green-light is given to the script, which is currently in active development at Fox. Until then, whether Jones’ options will be exercised by the studio or not remains unknown.

Silver Surfer is slated for release in 2012.

Silver Surfer 'Annihilation' Framed Giclee on Canvas Fine Art Collectible

Whilst we all wait patiently for the next piece of Silver Surfer movie news, fans may be interested in this hot new Silver Surfer collectible just released by Sideshow Collectibles – and it is hot as they only released it today and already more than half of them have sold out!

Here’s how Sideshow summarise it:

Sideshow Collectibles is proud to present the limited edition fine art prints of Every Picture Tells a Story. The Silver Surfer, in a fantastically rendered painting by GABRIELE DELL’OTTO from the cover of ANNIHILATION: SILVER SURFER 1 — reproduced in a signed, edition of 70 on canvas. Gabriele Dell’Otto is an Italian illustrator author whose works have been published around the world. His artwork has been widely seen in scientific illustration, calendars, lithographies, books, magazines covers and video games. In 1998, he began collaborating with the European division of Marvel Comics, producing covers, posters and lithographies for Italy, France and Germany. In 2002, he began the art for the acclaimed U.S. Marvel series, Secret War, written by Brian Michael Bendis and editor Joe Quesada. Between 2006 and 2007, Dell’Otto provided all the covers of the saga, ANNIHILATION, including the SILVER SURFER ANNIHILATION #2, which has been reproduced by Every Picture Tells A Story’s Marvel ArtWorks into a striking canvas print. Each piece is expertly framed by the gallery professionals of Parker Jordan Fine Art.

They stand 24″ high, there are only 70 in the world, and each one is manufactured upon order by ‘Every Picture Tells a Story’.

You’ll need a cool $770 to nab one.

Check out the product page here.

Doug Jones as the Silver Surfer in 'Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer'

Since the news surfaced that Fox were discussing a Silver Surfer movie the interwebs have been alive with chatter and speculation.  The two misconceptions hat have caught my eye the most are that the ideas that the new Silver Surfer looks awesome and that Doug Jones has been cast in the title role.

First, the film is only in a discussion stage at the moment.  No official announcement has been made.  Images of the Silver Surfer that have been posted with the announcement are images taken from Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. So yes, whilst the Surfer looks awesome in those images, they are not from the proposed movie.

Second, a lot of people seem to think Doug Jones, who played the physical Silver Surfer in Rise of the Silver Surfer (Laurence Fishburne provided the voice), has been cast as the title character in the upcoming movie.  Whilst many fans are keen to see Doug Jones reprise his role as the Silver Surfer, the fact is Jones’ involvement is nothing more than rumor – at least at this stage.

It is simply too early in the development process to discuss the Silver Surfer’s look or the cast.

Hopefully that will all change soon.