Marvel has denied accusations that artificial intelligence (AI) was used in creating promotional posters for The Fantastic Four: First Steps, despite growing fan concerns over peculiar visual inconsistencies—most notably, a man who appears to have only four fingers.
The controversy erupted after Marvel unveiled a series of posters on social media as part of its marketing campaign for the upcoming Fantastic Four film. While most fans were excited to see the first glimpse of the project, some eagle-eyed observers quickly pointed out odd details in one of the images. The most discussed issue? A man holding a flag who appears to be missing a finger.
In addition to the missing digit, fans have flagged other elements in the artwork that suggest potential AI involvement, including duplicate faces, characters with unnatural-looking limbs, and awkward gaze directions. Such anomalies have become telltale signs of AI-generated imagery, which has led to growing skepticism whenever a new promotional piece seems off.
Despite the concerns, a Disney/Marvel spokesperson tells the public that AI was not involved in the creation of the posters. If true, that means the inconsistencies could stem from more traditional editing errors rather than generative AI. Some fans have theorized that the missing finger might simply be hidden behind the flagpole, though given the size and angle of the fingers, that explanation doesn’t entirely convince skeptics.
Others argue that the apparent AI-like quirks could be the result of rushed Photoshop work. Over the years, blockbuster movie marketing has occasionally featured visual blunders—whether it’s awkward body proportions, strange reflections, or repeated background characters. This could be yet another example of that, rather than an AI-related issue. Some have suggested that the duplicated faces may have been a result of traditional digital compositing techniques, where background extras are copy-pasted to fill out crowd scenes.
Regardless of the truth, the debate surrounding this poster has only fueled the growing scrutiny of AI’s presence in the entertainment industry. Generative AI has become an increasingly contentious topic in Hollywood, especially following backlash against its use in projects like Secret Invasion and concerns over automation replacing human artists. Given this climate, any perceived AI involvement in major projects—whether real or not—is bound to be met with immediate skepticism.\
With the Fantastic Four reboot being one of Marvel’s most anticipated upcoming films, the studio will likely face even more scrutiny over its promotional materials moving forward. Fans are already keeping a close watch on upcoming assets, and any further inconsistencies could add fuel to the controversy.
For now, Marvel has dismissed the AI claims, but without an official explanation for the visual oddities, speculation isn’t going away anytime soon. Whether this was simply a case of Photoshop gone wrong or something more, it’s clear that audiences are more aware than ever of the methods studios use to craft their marketing materials.
