Tim Blake Nelson is in final negotiations to join the cast of 20th Century Fox’s reboot of The Fantastic Four.

Josh Trank is directing the movie, which once again focuses on the Marvel Comics quartet of scientist-adventurers Reed Richards (Miles Teller), aka Mr. Fantastic; his best friend Ben Grimm (Jamie Bell), aka The Thing; his girlfriend Sue Storm (Kate Mara), aka The Invisible Woman; and her brother, Johnny (Michael B. Jordan), aka The Human Torch.

Toby Kebbell is playing the villain, Doctor Doom.

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Nelson will play Harvey Elder, an eccentric and socially awkward scientist.

In comics lore, Elder is actually the Mole Man, shunned by humanity and leader of a subterranean group of monsters known as the Moloids.

Sources say the Mole Man will not appear in this movie but Elder’s appearance does set up the character to be the villain in future installments of the franchise. Fox did not comment on the plans.

Simon Kinberg wrote the script and is producing with Hutch Parker.

Nelson already has past Marvel experience having played a key character in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk. The actor, known for his eclectic indie fare, has several pics in the can, including Tommy Lee Jones’ The Homesman and Kill the Messenger with Jeremy Renner, among them.

He is repped by UTA and Gateway Management.

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