Marvel Denies AI Use in Fantastic Four Posters Amid Four-Finger Controversy

Marvel has firmly denied using artificial intelligence to create posters for The Fantastic Four: First Steps after fans pointed out an image featuring a man who appears to have only four fingers. The marketing campaign for the film kicked off this week with a teaser for its debut trailer and a series of posters shared across social media.

One particular poster caught the attention of fans due to a man holding the largest Fantastic Four flag on the left side, who seems to be missing a finger.

In addition to the four-fingered anomaly, fans have highlighted other elements in the poster that they believe indicate the use of generative AI, such as duplicated faces, faces not facing the correct direction, and disproportionately sized limbs. Despite these observations, a Disney/Marvel spokesperson confirmed to IGN that AI was not involved in the creation of these posters, suggesting another explanation for the discrepancies.

Regarding the four-fingered man, some speculate that the missing finger might be concealed behind the flagpole, although this seems unlikely given the finger's size, the pole's dimensions, and the required angle. Others suggest that the poster may simply be a result of subpar Photoshop work, pointing more to human error than AI involvement.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps - Trailer 1 Stills

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Disney/Marvel has not yet provided a direct explanation for the four-fingered man, fueling further speculation. It's possible that the missing finger was originally present in the image but was inadvertently removed during post-production without adjusting the rest of the hand. Similarly, the repeated faces might be the result of a common digital trick used with background actors, rather than AI.

The controversy surrounding the use of AI in The Fantastic Four: First Steps poster has sparked significant debate and is likely to lead to increased scrutiny of future promotional materials for the film. As we await further developments, there's plenty more to explore about The Fantastic Four: First Steps, including in-depth features on characters like Galactus and Doctor Doom.