Several days ago,
The Hollywood Reporter broke the news that Tim Blake Nelson ("O Brother, Where Art Thou?") was in final talks to play the socially awkward scientist, Harvey Elder, in Josh Trank's
Fantastic Four reboot. In the report, it is stated that Nelson's character is being setup to be the villain in a possible sequel, as his character would become the Mole Man. If you had any doubt regarding that info, don't. Yesterday,
Tulsa World spoke with the actor about the project and he had this to say, "
Yes, it's pretty much closed, with me playing Harvey Elder, who becomes the Mole Man." Nelson also praised the script, "
Without going into detail, the script has as much soul as it does action, and it has a lot of action."
Nelson will join a cast that includes: Kate Mara ("House of Cards") as Invisible Woman/Sue Storm, Michael B. Jordan ("Chronicle") as Johnny Storm/Human Torch, Jamie Bell ("Billy Elliot") as Ben Grimm/The Thing, Miles Teller ("Divergent") as Reed Richards /Mr. Fantastic and Toby Kebbell as Dr. Doom.
For many of you this casting choice will feel like deja vu. As you'll remember in the 2008 film
The Incredible Hulk Nelson played an awkward scientist, Dr. Samuel Stern. He too was being setup to become a future supervillain, The Leader, but the film didn't perform as expected and that storyline was abandoned in future films in the Marvel cinematic universe. Even though Nelson never got to become The Leader he still remembers that project fondly, "
I absolutely loved working on 'Hulk' and feel extremely blessed that Marvel, Fox, and especially ("Fantastic Four" director) Josh Trank and his team have invited me back into the universe. The script is excellent. It has real heart, and it shows a true understanding of what it is to be a burgeoning adult geeked out to the margins."
Born in the late 1910s, Harvey Elder possessed a genius intellect but was shunned because of his homely appearance. Hearing rumors of an underground kingdom where he might find acceptance or at least solitude, Elder spent years searching the globe for it, without success. In 1956, he tried to join the Explorers Club on the basis of his exploits, but he was disbelieved and ridiculed. Fuming, he chanced to observe a gathering of adventurers by the Eternal Makkari, who sought a team of Monster Hunters to aid him against the Deviant Kro and his monstrous Mutates; believing the group's efforts would lead them to his subterranean goal, Elder stowed away on their plane and was separated from the heroes in the course of the battle. Washing up on the shores of Monster Island, he explored a series of caverns until he at last discovered Subterranea, a network of tunnels running beneath the surface of much of the Earth; however, he was caught in an earthquake and almost blinded in the mysterious Valley of Diamonds. Undaunted, Elder explored the vastness of Subterranea and carved out a kingdom of his own. His early activities may have influenced various subterranean monster incursions that plagued the U.S. and other nations during the late 1950s and early 1960s. He discovered and mastered Deviant technology, proving himself a rival to the underground reigns of the monstrous Two-Headed Thing and the immortal Tyrannus, and later fighting Spragg the Living Hill. Slowing his own aging through unknown means, the Mole Man eventually won rulership of the so-called Moloid race, docile servants abandoned by the Deviants, as well as of many of the Mutates once used for conquest or sport by their former masters. - marvel.com