The Fantastic Four: First Steps is slowly becoming the most spoiled Marvel movie since Infinity War. We’ve seen Silver Surfer leaks. We’ve seen Galactus leaks. We’ve even seen baby Franklin Richards leaks (thanks to toy reveals). But fans have been obsessing over one final mystery: Who is Cobra Kai star Paul Walter Hauser playing? We all had theories. And it turns out we were correct. Thanks to Joseph Quinn (aka MCU’s new Johnny Storm), who let it slip during a recent interview at CCXPMX25, we now know that Mole Man will appear in The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
When asked, “What can you reveal [to] me about these iconic characters?” Quinn responded with the subtlety of a brick through a window, “It’s certainly a very stacked cast. We’ve got a lot of fantastic characters in there. There’s also Mole Man. Who is wonderful in it. But Galactus is the big bad. He is the big evil planet goblin space god.”
Thanks for the confirmation, Joseph and welcome to the club of Marvel actors who accidentally spoil things, right next to Tom Holland and Mark Ruffalo. Don’t be surprised if you get a call from Marvel President Kevin Feige in the next few minutes.
To be fair, fans were already suspicious. Paul Walter Hauser’s been cheekily dancing around the question in interviews. When ScreenRant asked him about his role in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, he said, “I know what that question is leading to, which is the answer as to which character I’m to play. So all I can say is that I, in some iteration, am in the movie The Fantastic Four until I get fired or recast. So I can’t say anything about the character I’m playing but know that it is in the sort of lexicon and mythology of The Fantastic Four stories. And it’s a very distinct character that I’m excited to play and I’m kind of mapping out what I’m doing with that right now.”
Mole Man. Just say Mole Man already.
And fans were already ahead of the curve. “Clearly Mole Man with the epic battle from Fantastic Four #1 at the beginning of the movie,” wrote @BenGrimmStreet on X.
But if you need more proof, a Fantastic Four MCU comic book tie-in launches on July 2, just weeks before the movie. Written by Matt Fraction (who also consulted on the film), the one-shot is a love letter to the original 1961 Fantastic Four #1. And yes, that’s the one with Mole Man’s first appearance and his monster smashing up New York.
So, who is Mole Man? In the comics, Harvey Elder is a brilliant scientist rejected by society because of his looks. He ends up on Monster Island, discovers Deviant tech, and decides to conquer the surface world with an army of Moloids. He’s got heightened senses, genius intellect, and a grudge big enough to bury Manhattan.
And there you have it. Paul Walter Hauser’s Mole Man is tunneling his way into the MCU, one leak or accidental quote at a time.
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Does everyone have to be a genius? Originally Reed was the genius. Now, everyone on the team is a scientist. Now, moleman is a genius too? Moleman was a character rejected by society that carved out an underground empire. Heightened senses and determination? Yes. A genius? No. Rich? Yes, from all those diamonds etc underground.