Mole Man Finally Gets His Moment in the Sun in ‘Fantastic Four: First Steps’

Fantastic Four: First Steps is scheduled for release this July and marks Marvel Studios’ first film featuring the iconic team in nearly ten years. The movie will not take place within the main Marvel Cinematic Universe timeline. Instead, it is set in an alternate, retro-futuristic version of Earth. This setting allows the filmmakers more freedom in choosing which characters to include. A recent report confirms that one classic villain from the Fantastic Four comics will appear in the movie.

According to the Cosmic Marvel account, actor Paul Walter Hauser, known for his roles in The Luckiest Man in America and the upcoming remake of The Naked Gun, will play the villain Mole Man. Hauser’s casting was announced during production in May 2024, and many fans had guessed he would take on this role. The film’s prequel comic has now officially confirmed this casting. A promotional video released a few weeks ago showed a live-action version of Mole Man’s monstrous creature, which appeared on the cover of the first Fantastic Four comic issue. In that comic, the team battles Mole Man, making his inclusion in the film logical.

The marketing for Fantastic Four: First Steps has kept characters like Mole Man under wraps. So far, trailers have mostly reused the same footage, focusing on brief glimpses of Galactus, the main antagonist, and the Silver Surfer, played by Julia Garner, who serves as Galactus’s herald.

A post-credits scene in the film Thunderbolts teased a spaceship with the Fantastic Four’s logo entering the main MCU timeline. However, viewers will have to wait until First Steps is released to learn how this happens and who is aboard. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has emphasized the importance of First Steps for the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday movie, which will also feature the Fantastic Four.

It remains unclear how large a role Mole Man will have in the film. Some trailer scenes show civilians taking shelter underground, possibly during an attack by Galactus. Whether Mole Man will have a redemptive storyline or serve as an early villain is not yet known. Paul Walter Hauser’s reputation as a skilled character actor suggests his performance could add depth or humor to the film.

***