As part of their Hall H presentation at SDCC ’24, Marvel Studios gave those in attendance a first look at The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Though production doesn’t begin in earnest until July 30th, enough test footage exists for the studio to put a sizzle reel or two together including the first look at the film’s primary antagonist, Galactus. Unsurprisingly, that footage has found its way online and is generating quite a bit of buzz; however, while the appearance of Galactus as something other than a cosmic fart cloud is something to celebrate, a piece of SDCC memorabilia handed out to fans in attendance includes some very interesting information about the 2025 film.
Screen Rant’s Rob Keyes shared several images of a map of Manhattan which fans in attendance in Hall H could get in exchange for their ticket. The official souvenir map highlights “Points of Interest” from the Manhattan of whatever alternate Earth the characters of The Fantastic Four: First Steps inhabit. The map has plenty of interesting points, to be sure, but a closer look confirms the existence of one of the Fantastic Four’s longest-standing villains who has long been rumored to appear in the film.
Just to the right of the Statue of Liberty, the map indicates that Subterranea exists in the world of this Fantastic Four. Furthermore, entrances to it can be found all across the map, including near the Baxter Building. The existence of the underground kingdom of Subterranea implies that its King, Harvey Elder, aka Mole Man, is set to appear in the film.
Since Paul Walter Hauser was added to the cast in May, buzz about the inclusion of Mole Man has grown. The casting of Hauser, along with several other actors whose roles remain unknown, pointed towards some of the Fantastic Four’s best-known villains being included in the film; given that Galactus and the Silver Surfer will take up the majority of the team’s attention, it’s been suggested that perhaps the other villains, including Mole Man, will be part of a montage of flashbacks. While the how isn’t confirmed quite yet, the inclusion of Subterranea on the map all but confirms an appearance by Mole Man.
Hints that Mole Man could appear in the film predate Hauser’s casting. On April 4th, Marvel launched a viral marketing campaign that led to a website created by the fictional Future Foundation. Included on that website were some comics that could be considered “essential reading” for the Marvel Studios film and among them was Fantastic Four #1, the first appearance of Mole Man in the pages of Marvel Comics. In it, Elder used Subterranea’s worldwide network of underground caverns to surface in Manhattan where he was met–and defeated by–the Fantastic Four in their first public appearance as a team of heroes. It seems likely that director Matt Shakman will pay homage to that appearance in the film and that Hauser’s Mole Man could make what amounts to an extended cameo.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps is targeting a theatrical launch of July 25, 2025.
Source: Twitter
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