Fantastic Four: First Steps director Matt Shakman has confirmed that John Malkovich’s role as the classic Marvel villain Red Ghost was cut from the final version of the film, even though the actor had already filmed his scenes and appeared in early promotional material.
Shakman told Variety that while Malkovich’s performance as Ivan Kragoff was strong and the team was honored to work with him, the movie had to shed some material in order to balance its sprawling storyline. The director said the film’s retro-’60s setting, introduction of the four main characters, and inclusion of additional villains left too much on the table, and some sequences, including those featuring Red Ghost and his Super-Apes—ultimately hit the cutting room floor.
“It was heartbreaking not to include him in the final version of the movie because he’s one of my very favorite humans and one of my biggest inspirations,” Shakman said, adding that he was honored Malkovich came to play the role. The director praised Malkovich not only for his work in First Steps, but also as a longtime inspiration in both theater and film.
Although Red Ghost doesn’t appear in the theatrical cut, the character’s name still shows up in a brief montage early in the film that chronicles the Fantastic Four’s early adventures. Malkovich’s portrayal was expected to help establish the team’s history, but as the final edit focused on the present-day narrative and core cast dynamics, that material was removed.
The change comes just weeks before Fantastic Four: First Steps hit theaters on July 25, 2025. Despite the cut, fans and industry sources suggest it’s possible the character or even Malkovich himself could return in future Marvel Cinematic Universe projects, given the rich comic history of Red Ghost and other villains associated with the Fantastic Four mythos.
Malkovich’s involvement generated buzz early on, particularly because he had previously turned down other Marvel offers due to pay and his preference for different kinds of acting work, but chose to join First Steps in part because of his relationship with Shakman from their earlier collaboration.
Fantastic Four: First Steps introduces Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm/Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm/Human Torch (Joseph Quinn), and Ben Grimm/The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), and has been positioned as a fresh reboot for the First Family within the MCU.
