The Marvel Studios film ‘Fantastic Four: First Steps’ is under intense scrutiny, as it marks the first full-fledged appearance of the beloved team in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Marvel’s head, Kevin Feige, has made this project a top priority, aiming to create a compelling version of Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Johnny Storm, and The Thing, following previous attempts by other studios.
Set in a separate universe, the film introduces a range of new characters, such as the robot companion H.E.R.B.I.E., the enigmatic Silver Surfer, and the planet-devouring cosmic Galactus. However, despite the abundance of new faces, there was no room in the final version of the film for one particular character: the Red Ghost, played by John Malkovich.
Why was the Red Ghost cut?
John Malkovich was set to appear in the opening scenes of the film, which tell the origin story of the crime-fighting team, leading the Super-Apes in a battle against the Fantastic Four for the glory of the USSR. His brief appearance in the film’s first trailer hinted at a new villainous role that would have added to Malkovich’s impressive list of antagonists.
However, the director announced that Malkovich was cut from the film for a “heartbreaking” reason. According to Matt Shakman, the need to introduce so many new characters and plotlines in Fantastic Four: First Steps left no space for Malkovich’s Red Ghost.
The challenge of balancing the story
During an interview, Matt Shakman, the director, explained the complexities of making a film with so many characters. He stated that a lot of material had to be left on the cutting room floor. As they were creating a retro-futuristic 1960s world, introducing multiple villains, and presenting the four main heroes both as individuals and as a team, in addition to incorporating the concept of a child, the film required a delicate balance. Ultimately, some elements had to be sacrificed to create the final version.
The decision to cut Malkovich’s role was particularly difficult for Shakman, who had previously worked with the actor on his feature-film debut, Cut Bank (2014). The director called Malkovich “one of his favorite people and one of his main sources of inspiration.” He expressed regret about not being able to show Malkovich’s “brilliant” performance in the final version of the film.
