A first look at Paul Walter Hauser inThe Fantastic Four: First Stepshas finally been revealed ahead of hisMarvel Cinematic Universedebut. The Multiverse Saga is about to enter Phase 6 this summer, and kick it off with a bang.The Fantastic Four: First Stepswill be the film that launches Phase 6 ofthe MCU timeline.
WhileThe Fantastic Four: First Stepscastis dealing with Marvel’s Galactus as the primary antagonist, the film will also explore other foes the team has faced during their time on this alternative Earth in the MCU multiverse. With the film arriving next week, fans have finally gotten a brand-new look at another classic Fantastic Four enemy who is making his MCU debut.
USA Todayshared the first official look at Hauser as Harvey Elder, a.k.a. Marvel Comics' Mole Man, as the photo features him and several underground workers. Check out the full photo of Hauser’s Mole Man fromThe Fantastic Four: First Stepsbelow:
Hauser andThe Fantastic Four: First Stepsdirector Matt Shakman also opened up about this take on Mole Man, who is described as a"union boss"rather than a traditional villain.USA Todayalso describes the"opposition"between Mole Man and the Fantastic Four as"political in nature,“with Hauser and Shakman sharing the following:
Matt Shakman: [The MCU’s Harvey Elder is] really more of a union boss than a supervillain. He’s all about community, and that’s why Sue and Harvey have a good relationship and they get along. They understand each other.
Paul Walter Hauser: [The comic version is] vicious and heinous and unrelenting. He is living sort of in the shadows like a villain would, but he’s also taking care of an entire race of people and trying to live his life without being bothered. It’s a power struggle, but within that, there are compromises and alliances made.
What Paul Walter Hauser’s Marvel Role Means
Given that Mole Man has never appeared in live-action previously,Hauser’s role reveal showcases how Marvel Studios is really leaning into Fantastic Four’s larger Marvel mythology.Hauser’s Mole Manis also a character that is being explored inThe Fantastic Four: First Stepsprequel comic, which may mean he will have a crucial role in the film, even if Galactus is the central enemy.
Shakman and Hauser’s comments also make it clear that they are helping modernize Mole Man for the MCU, as he is one of Marvel’s First Family’s oldest villains from the comics. From his first look inThe Fantastic Four: First Steps, it will be fascinating to see how the political conflict between him and the team is explored.
Our Take On Paul Walter Hauser’s Marvel Role
Seeing what Hauser’s Mole Man will look like in the MCU,it will be exciting to see how the MCU tackles him compared to what fans are used to from the comics. The bigger question is whether or not there could be other villains from the team’s rogues' gallery, especially afterJohn Malkovich’sThe Fantastic Four: First Stepscharacterwas cut from the final version of the film.
But from everything that continues to come out forThe Fantastic Four: First Steps, the film is definitely looking like it will be Marvel Studios' strongest movie for 2025. Fans will soon get a better idea of what is in store with Hauser’s Mole Man whenThe Fantastic Four: First Stepsarrives in theaters next week.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Cast
The Fantastic 4: First Steps features Marvel’s First Family navigating their dual roles as superheroes and family members in a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world. They defend Earth from a formidable space god, Galactus, and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer, testing their familial bonds and heroic resolve.
