Marvel’s Fantastic Four Prequel Comic Reveals Classic Villain’s Movie Debut, Paul Walter Hauser Likely Playing Him

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is finally welcoming the Fantastic Four, and their big debut is coming soon in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, hitting theaters on July 25, 2025. But before the movie arrives, Marvel Comics is giving fans an early look with a new comic titled The Fantastic Four: First Steps #1. It sets the stage for what’s to come, and from what’s been shown online, things are going to get wild.

In the comic, we see how the team first gets their powers, which comes from a trip to space. It’s a classic part of their origin and something fans have been waiting to see done in the MCU. But space missions and cosmic radiation are only the beginning. The story is about to get much bigger, and way more dangerous.

The Silver Surfer is arriving on Earth, and that only means one thing: Galactus is coming too. Galactus, known as the Devourer of Worlds, is one of the most powerful villains in Marvel’s universe, and now he’s headed for our planet. The Fantastic Four have to figure out a way to stop him, but that’s not going to be easy.

To make things even harder, Sue Storm is pregnant. So while the world is at risk, the team is also dealing with personal challenges. But they’re heroes, and they know what’s at stake. Even with everything going on, they’ll have to stay focused and try to stop Galactus before it’s too late.

And just when you think things can’t get more intense, another major villain is waiting to strike in the next big Marvel movie, Avengers: Doomsday. Doctor Doom is coming, and fans already know he’s one of the most dangerous threats out there

Even though this character hasn’t shown up in any trailers or posters, he will be in the movie. He won’t be the main threat, but he’s definitely part of the story.

Some panels from the First Steps comic have already leaked online, and they show a version of this underground villain that looks a lot like actor Paul Walter Hauser. Hauser is known for roles in Cruella, Richard Jewell, and Cobra Kai, where he played Stingray. While Marvel hasn’t officially confirmed he’s playing the part, the art from the comic has a strong resemblance to him.

The official Fantastic Four prequel comic confirms Paul Walter Hauser is playing Mole Man pic.twitter.com/D2BVj5BBuF

— Spider-Fan77 (@spider_fan77) July 5, 2025

In the comics, this villain started out as a scientist who believed in the Hollow Earth theory. People made fun of him, not just for his ideas but also for how he looked. So he left the surface world and found a hidden land underground called Subterranea, filled with strange creatures. That’s where he became the villain we now know, angry at the world and ready to fight back.

It’s likely that the movie version will follow that origin pretty closely. But fans shouldn’t expect him to be the star of the show this time around. With Galactus and Doctor Doom involved, there’s already a lot going on.

Still, it’s exciting to see Marvel bringing in more characters from the comics, especially ones with deep history like this. And with an actor like Hauser possibly in the role, it sounds like they’re putting real thought into casting too.

Marvel is clearly building something big, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps is only the beginning. With new heroes, massive villains, and surprise appearances, fans have a lot to look forward to.

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