http://chud.com/nextraimages/BeauGarrettBW.jpgNew casting for Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer reveals some interesting new elements of the plot, and as far as I’m concerned completely gives away the ending of the film. I’ll put that discussion after the basic news item so anyone not familiar with the history of the Fantastic Four and Galactus in the comics won’t be too spoiled.

Relative newcomer Beau Garrett has joined the film as Frankie Raye, a character from the comic who was Johnny Storm’s girlfriend. She’ll be the same thing in this film, but on top of that she’ll be a scientist (I honestly don’t recall if she held a similar – or any – job in the comics). Today’s casting news also confirms what blackfilm.com reported almost a month ago – Andre Braugher will be in the movie, playing a general who’s after the Silver Surfer.

Here there be possible spoilers, so only proceed if you know the comics or if you wonder why I used the word “Nova” in the headline:

In the original comics Frankie Raye ended up becoming the herald of Galactus after the Surfer quit, and she received superpowers from the big fella, as well as the new superheroish name of Nova. She also didn’t share the Surfer’s qualms about feeding entire inhabited planets to the Devourer of Worlds, as she led him to the Skrull homeworld. Ouch!

I have to imagine that she’ll become the next herald, leaving Johnny behind (by the way, her relationship with Human Torches is complicated – her dad invented the original WWII android Human Torch. I told you this was for comic nerds) and allowing the Surfer to stay on Earth as a hero for his spin-off film, and leaving Galactus unharmed for that movie as well. Here’s a completely out of nowhere guess, though: Doom tricks her into it and gives her powers.