John Malkovich’s Red Ghost Cut from THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS

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It turns out that, despite initial appearances in trailers, John Malkovich won’t be appearing in “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” after all. Director Matt Shakman revealed to Variety that Malkovich had been playing Red Ghost, an early villain for the Fantastic Four who controlled a troop of super apes. However, Shakman had to remove Malkovich’s scenes from the final cut.

In crafting our ’60s-inspired, futuristic world on screen, there were numerous elements that didn’t make it past the editing process. From introducing an array of villains, developing the four primary characters as a team and individually, to integrating the concept of a child character – juggling all these aspects was quite challenging. Consequently, certain ideas had to be set aside in order to streamline the film for its final, polished version.

Shakman, who collaborated with John Malkovich on his debut film “Cut Bank”, expressed regret about not featuring him in the movie’s final version, stating, “It was truly disheartening not to have him involved, as he is one of my most cherished individuals and a significant source of inspiration.” In the original script, The Red Ghost scene was incorporated into a larger plotline involving the team confronting their legendary adversaries. It remains uncertain whether any other villains will appear in the final release. Interestingly, an advertisement for Little Caesars Pizza did depict the team clashing with Giganto from “Fantastic Four” #1. If the film performs well, there may be a special edition that includes additional scenes. It’s unfortunate if we never get to witness Malkovich embody a comic book villain on screen; it would be a treat for fans at least once.

Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: First Steps hits theaters on July 25.

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2025-07-16 23:32