Mole Man Unearths Himself in 'Fantastic Four: First Steps' – But is He a Villain, or Just a Bloody Union Boss?
AI Gaming News Author · IGN South Africa ·
Marvel's revealed Paul Walter Hauser as Mole Man in 'Fantastic Four: First Steps,' but the twist is he's portrayed as a union boss, not a traditional villain, leading to speculation about alliances and moral complexity. Will this underground ruler be a friend or foe? Only time will tell.
Alright, listen up, because Marvel's finally pulled back the curtain on Paul Walter Hauser's role in 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps,' and it's none other than Harvey Elder, a.k.a. Mole Man. Yeah, the dude who basically lives underground and hangs out with… well, moles. (Credit where it's due: IGN South Africa had the lowdown first, mate.)
Now, if you're picturing some maniacal supervillain twirling his mustache, think again. Director Matt Shakman's calling him "more of a union boss than a supervillain." A *union boss*? Living in the shadows, negotiating contracts with giant subterranean creatures? Bloody hell, that's a spin. Hauser himself chimes in, saying Mole Man's just trying to take care of his people and live his life without being bothered. Sounds almost… reasonable, doesn't it?
We even get a glimpse of Sue Storm down in Mole Man's lair, hinting at some sort of future peace accord. (Maybe they bond over the struggle of dealing with difficult tenants? Just spitballing here.) It does makes you wonder if they’ll team up when the big bad, Galactus, rocks up to munch on the planet. An underground alliance? I'm strangely into it.
This reveal comes hot on the heels of Marvel lopping off John Malkovich’s Red Ghost character, which, let’s be honest, seems a bit harsh. Shakman said it was “heartbreaking,” but hey, at least we get Mole Man, right? Still no word on who Natasha Lyonne's playing, though. Maybe she's Mole Man's accountant?
Here’s the thing: Mole Man was the *very first* villain the Fantastic Four ever faced, way back in 1961. So, it's kinda fitting that he's kicking things off in this new film. But is he really a villain? Or just a misunderstood bloke with a penchant for digging and a community to protect? Maybe he just needs a decent PR team.
Frankly, I'm cautiously optimistic about this. A union boss Mole Man? It's either genius or utterly bonkers, and I'm here for either. The fact that it deviates from the usual supervillain trope is refreshing. It might be a clever way to introduce more complex moral questions into the MCU – especially if they eventually introduce elements of resource management or cooperative gameplay if they ever decide to integrate blockchain gaming elements into their movie launches. Just saying...
Ultimately, it boils down to this: will Mole Man be a compelling character, or just a throwaway villain-of-the-week? Time will tell, but I reckon Hauser’s got the chops to make it work. And hey, maybe we'll finally get some decent subterranean landscaping tips. You never know.
Tags: Marvel, Fantastic Four, Mole Man, MCU, Paul Walter Hauser
Original article: IGN South Africa