Fantastic Four Drops John Malkovich as Red Ghost

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is finally bringing some major characters into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), but director Matt Shakman confirms that John Malkovich's Red Ghost will not be among them.

News of Malkovich's scenes being cut from the final version of the new Fantastic Four film comes from a Variety interview with Shakman ahead of the movie's premiere later this month. He explained that scenes featuring Malkovich's villain were among many that "ultimately ended up on the cutting room floor."

"We were building a retro-futuristic '60s world, introducing multiple villains, establishing the four main characters both as a team and individually, and introducing the concept of a child character," Shakman said. "With so many elements to balance, some things had to be trimmed to shape the final film."

Malkovich's role as Red Ghost has been a subject of speculation for months, though his involvement was never a complete secret. While fans were unsure how much screen time the Burn After Reading actor would get, he appeared with long white hair and a scraggly beard in the first teaser trailer in February. His absence from most subsequent promotional material fueled rumors that Marvel had removed the character entirely, which has now been confirmed.

"It was heartbreaking not to include him in the final cut because he is one of my favorite people and a huge inspiration," Shakman added. "As someone who bridges theater, film, and television, no one is more inspiring than the founder of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company. His work on stage as an actor and director, and his incredible film performances—I was honored he agreed to be part of this."

Shakman revealed that audiences would have seen Malkovich in a sequence exploring the early days of Marvel's First Family, specifically in a battle where the team faced Red Ghost and his Super-Apes. It's unknown if this footage will ever be released, but Shakman noted that Malkovich "was brilliant in the role and gave it his all."

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is scheduled for release on July 25, 2025, starring Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/Human Torch, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing. The cast also includes Julia Garner, Ralph Ineson, Sarah Niles, Natasha Lyonne, and Paul Walter Hauser.

For more, read about why Spider-Man director Jon Watts originally left the Fantastic Four project, and explore what we know about Sam Raimi's canceled Spider-Man 4, which also would have featured Malkovich as a classic Marvel villain.