This post contains minor spoilers for "The Fantastic Four: First Steps."
The general consensus is that director Matt Shakman rose to the task when it came to "The Fantastic Four: First Steps." It's one of the best-received Marvel Cinematic Universe movies in some time and Marvel's first family finally has a movie befitting their legacy. A big reason for that is it's very focused on Reed (Pedro Pascal), Sue (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny (Joseph Quinn), and Ben (Ebon Moss-Bachrach): It's a family movie. But
the sparing use of characters like Mole Man, played by Paul Walter Hauser, really helped.
Hauser, for his money, is very happy with the movie. His only issue? Perhaps Mole Man was used just a bit too sparingly. On his Letterboxd page, Hauser gave his honest review of "First Steps," giving it a respectable three and a half stars. So, why not four stars? The actor explained that he loved just about everything, save for the fact that a scene between Mole Man and Sue Storm was cut out. Here's what he had to say about it:
"I love the score, the production design, the performances. I wish they hadn't cut my scene with Vanessa Kirby, but I'm stoked that I got to be in a Marvel movie (first world problem s**t; I'm spoiled rotten to get to act). Excited to follow the Franklin story!!! #FantasticFive"
That hash tag that Hauser uses at the end seems apt, as Reed and Sue's son, Franklin Richards, does seem like he'll be a key player in the MCU down the line. As for the cut scene? This sort of thing happens all of the time in the realm of blockbuster filmmaking, particularly at Marvel Studios. The movies are truly made in the editing room and, as a result, stuff winds up on the cutting room in service of the larger story.
Read more: Every Marvel Character Locked Up In The Raft
What Was The Scene Between Sue Storm And Mole Man?
When it came to "Fantastic Four," Shakman did indeed have to leave a fair amount of stuff on the cutting room floor. John Malkovich's character was removed from the movie entirely, which is no small thing. Whatever changes Shakman and the brass at Marvel Studios made, they presumably did so because they felt it was best for the movie.
Still, Hauser sort of stole the show as Mole Man in "Fantastic Four," so having another scene or two with him in it may well have been welcome. So, what scene is he talking about? In an interview with Collider, Kirby divulged details on a scene she filmed with Hauser that didn't make the cut:
"I had a scene with Mole Man ... in the very beginning of the movie, Sue goes and kinda kicks back and has a drink with him. Well, she can't because she's pregnant, her pours her water and she wishes it was whiskey, and ah ... I just loved it. It was so fun to shoot."
"We went into the mines, all the way up to the north of England to shoot it," Kirby added. "It just represented Sue's working life and the fact that she interacts with all these supervillains, and is easy with them. It's more, she's emotionally in tune with them, and I loved that, but [there] wasn't time."
Mole Man winds up having a key role in the third act of the film, and his relationship with Sue is a big part of it. It sounds like this scene might have helped to tee up and firm up that relationship a little bit more. Who knows? Maybe it will wind up as a deleted scene on the Blu-ray release.
"The Fantastic Four: First Steps" is in theaters now.
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Read the original article on SlashFilm.
