THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS Star Paul Walter Hauser Teases "Smart, Chic Marvel" Movie Focused On Family

THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS Star Paul Walter Hauser Teases "Smart, Chic Marvel" Movie Focused On Family

The Fantastic Four: First Steps star Paul Walter Hauser talks about Marvel Studios' approach to the reboot, including what he saw while working on the movie and how it's a turning point for the MCU...

By JoshWilding - Apr 07, 2025 05:04 AM EST
Filed Under: Fantastic Four

Marvel Studios has assembled an undeniably impressive cast for The Fantastic Four: First Steps, with Paul Walter Hauser (Cruella) among those set to take on mystery roles in the MCU reboot.

The prevailing theory is that he's playing the villainous Mole Man. While Hauser wouldn't be drawn on sharing details about his character, he made it clear that the enormity of this franchise, and the Fantastic Four, in particular, is not lost on him. 

"I kind of look at it like you have to earn that by being really good, too. Because anybody will do a Marvel thing now," he explained. "Like, Denzel [Washington] might be in 'Black Panther 3.' There’s been rumors about that, him and Coogler wanting to do that. And it’s like, well, if they can get Denzel, they don’t need you."

"You got invited to the party," Hauser continued. "Show up, be professional, try to kill it."

Acknowledging Marvel Studios' struggles during the Multiverse Saga, the actor shared his belief that the studio is now in a "cool rebuilding phase."

He added, "I don’t think I’m speaking out of school. And I think, from what I’ve seen, and obviously I can’t say much about it, but I will say the short time I was on set, dude, they’re making a cool movie, man. This is a smart, chic Marvel movie that really focuses on family as part of the theme. And you really kind of fall in love with those characters, I think."

"And that’s what’s missing is sometimes if you don’t fall in love with these characters, and you keep putting them in peril, we don’t really care," he said of what's hurt recent MCU titles. "You know, you got to make us care first. And I think Marvel’s hopefully getting back to some of that.

There's yet to be a good Fantastic Four movie, never mind a great one. However, First Steps looks set to be the movie that turns things around for Marvel's First Family, largely due to a completely different approach to the team in a futuristic 1960s-inspired setting.

While there are still plenty of questions surrounding their alternate reality status, all signs also point to the Fantastic Four being a huge part of the MCU moving forward, starting with Avengers: Doomsday

You can hear more from Hauser on The Fantastic Four: First Steps in the player below.

Set against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, Marvel Studios' The Fantastic Four: First Steps introduces Marvel’s First Family—Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm/Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm/Human Torch (Joseph Quinn) and Ben Grimm/The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) as they face their most daunting challenge yet.

Forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, they must defend Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer (Julia Garner). And if Galactus’ plan to devour the entire planet and everyone on it weren’t bad enough, it suddenly gets very personal.

Paul Walter Hauser, John Malkovich, and Natasha Lyonne have been cast in mystery roles. 

Director Matt Shakman worked with both Avatar: The Way of Water co-writer Josh Friedman and WandaVision's Cam Squires on The Fantastic Four: First Steps' screenplay, with Eric Pearson (Black Widow) later coming on board for a final polish.

The movie is set to be released in theaters on July 25, 2025.

THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS Poster, Stills, And New Multiversal Details Revealed By Matt Shakman
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6of13
6of13 - 4/7/2025, 6:17 AM
I reckon this movie will be great as long as there is no studio interference. It does seem that a lot of people are on the fence about First Steps, but I like what I have seen so far. This is my 2nd most anticipated movie after Superman.
dragon316
dragon316 - 4/7/2025, 9:29 AM
@6of13 - needs more than studio interference didn’t some of marvel movies that are bad have no studio interference Kevin was over watching some of them still turned out bad?
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 4/7/2025, 6:26 AM
I am more pumped for the new Fantastic Four than I am for anything.

It's the beginning of Phase Six which looks to be just one big epic storyline.
TFF, Doomsday, Spidey 4, Secret Wars (Secret Wars part II? Avengers Forever?).

The big finale.

First Steps is ground zero for this story. It's the beginning of the end, which will end in a new beginning.
That reminds me of that song...
'The Beginning is the End is the Beginning' by The Smashing Pumpkins.
That played on the trailer to Watchmen, that other movie I was excited for that felt like it was made for the hardcore geeks that... that then...
...that then totally flopped in cinemas.

And it was originally released as a b-side to the single 'The End s the Beginning is the End' as the main song of the film Batman & Robin, which also totally flopped in cinemas.

Oh crap this is gonna totally flop in cinemas isn't it?
AllsNotGood
AllsNotGood - 4/7/2025, 6:50 AM
@ObserverIO - I really like the 2000s f4 movies and 50% of the fan4stic
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 4/7/2025, 6:54 AM
@AllsNotGood - They shit the bed with the last half of that movie.
Scarilian
Scarilian - 4/7/2025, 8:18 AM
@ObserverIO -
"Oh crap this is gonna totally flop in cinemas isn't it?"

Expecting it to, yeah.

• General audience will think its unconnected due to setting, so no connectivity or justification to watch
• Brand damage from the previous Fantastic Four films, especially Fant4stic.
• Standalone nature so less incentive to watch
• Skipping decades of comics including their origin and development of the Fantastic Four to show them already established having beaten countless villains and them already having a child
• Rushing the Galactus storyline in a single film for the second time along with also shoving in other villains
• Female Silver Surfer Shalla-Bal as opposed to iconic Norrin Radd
• Riding off the failure of Captain America 4 and the likely flop of Thunderbolts.
• Competition with Jurassic World, Superman with Smurfs & The Bad Guys 2 likely impacting the younger audience viewership

Though who knows, at this point we are seeing terrible movies becomes successes purely because of nostalgia or brand recognition.



DocSpock
DocSpock - 4/7/2025, 8:27 AM
@AllsNotGood -

Those first 2 FF movies were okay, some good elements, some bad. At least I had some fun at the theater, and they were rewatchable.

That last FF movie was so horrible, I couldn't stand it. Zero joy. I left the theater on opening night knowing that thing was a disaster. I was still writing reviews then, and I gave it 2.5/10 stars.



CreateNowSlpL8r
CreateNowSlpL8r - 4/7/2025, 10:10 AM
@Scarilian - Pedro Pascal as Reed...

Hes in everything yet not really a draw. Number 1 reason for me. Hes not Reed.
McMurdo
McMurdo - 4/7/2025, 10:22 AM
@Scarilian - coming two weeks after Superman ain't gonna help it
Scarilian
Scarilian - 4/7/2025, 10:54 AM
@CreateNowSlpL8r -
Yeah, Pedro also. I don't see him as Reed Richards at all in any of the material.

@McMurdo -
I would imagine they cannibalize each other
Gabimaru
Gabimaru - 4/7/2025, 6:38 AM
I think this will be the marvel contender of the year well i do hope so.
McMurdo
McMurdo - 4/7/2025, 10:23 AM
@Gabimaru - I mean it has to be
Repian
Repian - 4/7/2025, 6:39 AM
I can imagine the Mole Man played by Paul Walter as someone similar to this.
User Comment Image
He could be a geologo. Then, Harvey Elder has the theory that there are creatures in the underworld. He develops a seismic wave code to establish a relationship with these species.
User Comment Image
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 4/7/2025, 6:46 AM
Sounds good , I hope he’s right!!.

Given that he says he was on set for a short time , it does make me wonder if he is Mole Man that he could be just in the opening sequence that establishes the FF as heroes as they take him on…

Perhaps even do an homage to the iconic cover of FF#1?.

User Comment Image

Anyway , dude’s a good actor so I’m glad he’s been invited into the universe and hope we see more of him beyond First Steps aswell!!.
IAmAHoot
IAmAHoot - 4/7/2025, 6:47 AM
Most people praise the movie they’re in… It’s often fun when they don’t though.
Movie will be plenty cool and a fun watch, unless you’re some of the pouty grumps who frequent this site.
McMurdo
McMurdo - 4/7/2025, 10:24 AM
@IAmAHoot - like when mark Hamill went on a tear about his characterization and Rian Johnson pre TLJ. Def a rarity. You gotta really piss someone off to burn it down before release.
AllsNotGood
AllsNotGood - 4/7/2025, 6:49 AM
I thought he was playing the planet eater
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 4/7/2025, 7:10 AM
Really hope Danny DeVito is secretly in this movie as The Mole Man and Paul Walter Hauser is someone else like Tyrannus or Willie Lumpkin or someone.
JustAWaffle
JustAWaffle - 4/7/2025, 7:12 AM
@ObserverIO - Danny as Mole Man would be either be as bad as MODOK, or complete and utter greatness.
MadThanos
MadThanos - 4/7/2025, 7:20 AM
This movie will bomb without a question.
Clintthahamster
Clintthahamster - 4/7/2025, 7:48 AM
"There's yet to be a good Fantastic Four movie, never mind a great one."

User Comment Image
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 4/7/2025, 8:48 AM
@Clintthahamster - idk about good but they were certainly better then the Trank one.
Clintthahamster
Clintthahamster - 4/7/2025, 9:24 AM
@TheVisionary25 - I'll stand by good, not great. But "good" for me just means "north of 50%." They were fine. Solid C-. Nothing to write home about, but inoffensive.

There's a tendency in fandom (especially modern fandom) to look at everything as "the worst ever" and "the best ever" with nothing in between. But it's not that black and white, especially in so-called genre films. Story's films were goofy and flawed, for sure, but overall entertaining. At least IMO.
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 4/7/2025, 9:25 AM
@Clintthahamster - I agree

I hate the binary nature of fandom especially right now.

It’s funny that we demand nuance in our stories but not in our arguments
slickrickdesigns
slickrickdesigns - 4/7/2025, 8:13 AM
This will be the movie of the year.
It’ll be hated by those who hate Marvel/Disney and loved by everyone else.
bobevanz
bobevanz - 4/7/2025, 8:36 AM
@slickrickdesigns - only a Sith deals with absolutes
slickrickdesigns
slickrickdesigns - 4/7/2025, 9:34 AM
@bobevanz - call me Darth
BigPhilbowski
BigPhilbowski - 4/7/2025, 10:19 AM
@bobevanz - that statement itself is an absolute
McMurdo
McMurdo - 4/7/2025, 10:24 AM
@slickrickdesigns - nah supes far and away
bobevanz
bobevanz - 4/7/2025, 8:37 AM
July will be amazing for theaters! Most people will see at least 2 of the 3, A-List for the win!
BruceWayng
BruceWayng - 4/7/2025, 9:53 AM
Damn you did my boy dirty with that pic of him. Homes has always been a big boy but he’s definitely not THAT fat anymore
JacobsLadder
JacobsLadder - 4/7/2025, 11:07 AM
He's right about the character aspect. Let's hope this is good. FF deserves a proper adaptation. It's a shame PP is in it. He is NOT a good Reed Richards.

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