Paul Walter Hauser almost turned down The Fantastic Four because of its rocky past

Last Updated on June 5, 2024

Marvel’s The Fantastic Four has had a difficult time being adapted to say the least. First came a 1994 attempt which was only made so the rights could be held and can only be found on bootleg copies. Then came 2005’s Fantastic Four and its 2007 sequel, Rise of the Silver Surfer, with Fantastic Four arriving nearly a decade later. As it stands, these three have a combined Rotten Tomatoes score of 75%! So, yes, we’re still very hesitant to get our hopes up about next year’s go. And before Paul Walter Hauser was cast, he was just as nervous.

Hauser, whose role in The Fantastic Four has yet to be unveiled, almost turned down a chance to be in the Marvel Cinematic Universe solely because of the history of the property on the big screen. “Don’t think that didn’t weigh in as I was deciding whether or not to take the job. That movie has not fully been nailed just yet.”

But Hauser has nothing but confidence in The Fantastic Four, adding of the Phase Six launcher, “But I really do think the combination of the screenplay, and the department heads that are working on the film, and that classy cast of really exciting actors — some of them known for a long time, and some of them having a moment right now — [make me feel that] this movie is special, and it was something I wanted to be a part of.” Although some of The Fantastic Four’s casting has been called into question (sorry, Pedro!), it at least looks far more promising than every single other attempt to put Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, and The Thing on the screen.

Hauser has been on a casting streak as of late, landing roles in movies like The Naked Gun, as well as numerous real-life stories such as the Chris Farley biopic, a movie about Press Your Luck swindler Michael Larson and hopefully a film about the life and career of wrestling legend Mick Foley.

Does the history of failed Fantastic Four adaptations make you skeptical about the MCU’s forthcoming movie or do those have no weight at all? Let us know if you’ll be checking it out in theaters in the comments section below.