Yesterday evening, the news broke that Black Bird and Cruella star Paul Walter Hauser has joined the cast of Marvel Studios' The Fantastic Four.
It's another exciting and impressive addition to the reboot, though there was no word in the trades about who he's playing. The voice of H.E.R.B.I.E. is one possibility, though Mole Man is another suggestion which is being batted about online.
Hauser would be a great choice for a sinister new take on the baddie. Plus, with a story which takes place in the 1960s, using Mole Man as a supporting villain is a, well, fantastic way to pay homage to the team's first comic book appearance.
While he stops short of confirming Hauser has been cast in the role, Jeff Sneider (via The InSneider) is reporting that the current script for The Fantastic Four opens with Marvel's First Family defeating Mole Man. What a way to introduce the team, eh?
Also worth pointing out is the fact Hauser has liked a comment on Instagram about him potentially playing the villain...
Mole Man, also known as Harvey Rupert Elder, was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby and first appeared in Fantastic Four #1 in 1961.
Elder was once a skilled scientist who became obsessed with discovering the legendary land at the Earth's core. After being ridiculed and rejected by his peers for his theories, Elder ventured into the depths of the Earth and encountered a subterranean race known as the Moloids. He was hailed as their ruler and adopted the moniker "Mole Man."
As the Mole Man, Harvey Elder possesses no superhuman abilities himself but is a genius in various scientific fields, particularly in geology and engineering. He has mastered the technology of his subterranean domain and often employs advanced gadgets and creatures in his schemes.
Marvel Studios has announced that Pedro Pascal (Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic), Vanessa Kirby (Sue Storm/Invisible Woman), Joseph Quinn (Johnny Storm/Human Torch), and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Ben Grimm/The Thing) will lead The Fantastic Four cast. Julia Garner has also joined the reboot as Shalla-Bal/Silver Surfer.
Director Matt Shakman worked with both Avatar: The Way of Water co-writer Josh Friedman and WandaVision's Cam Squires on The Fantastic Four's screenplay, with Eric Pearson (Black Widow) recently coming on board for a final polish.
The movie is set to be released in theaters on July 25, 2025.