Matt Shakman, director of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, recently addressed why several villains, including John Malkovich’s Ivan Kragoff, also known as Red Ghost, were omitted from the movie’s theatrical release. Although these characters were initially featured, scheduling and storytelling challenges led to their removal. Malkovich’s involvement in the film was significant because despite turning down Marvel offers multiple times, he agreed to join after working with Shakman previously on the 2014 thriller Cut Bank.
Shakman reflected on the early scenes originally meant to include Red Ghost and his Super-Apes team, as well as other antagonists like Mad Thinker and Puppet Master, which would have explored the Fantastic Four’s formative years. These villains were intended to expand the movie’s narrative depth but ultimately had to be excluded to streamline the story.
Director’s Insight on the Film’s Opening and Character Focus
In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Shakman explained the aim of the film’s opening sequence was to rapidly introduce new audiences to the Fantastic Four’s identities, abilities, and impact on society. He said,
The opening of the movie was about trying to quickly tell people who didn’t know about the Fantastic Four and who they are and how they got to be who they are,
and additionally,
Quickly tell them who they are individually, what their powers are, how they got them, and how important they are to their society. They are an inspiration. They’re celebrities, they’re leaders, they’re inventors.
This approach meant focusing tightly on the core team rather than introducing multiple side characters and complex villainous plots at the start, leading to the removal of some of the cut content featuring Malkovich’s character.
Possibility of John Malkovich’s Character Returning in Future Projects
Shakman expressed admiration for Malkovich’s performance, praising him as a “fantastic actor” who did an “amazing job.” He acknowledged the difficulty of cutting those scenes, saying,
It just was such a heartbreaking thing to have to eliminate that section, but we had so much to introduce. We had so many characters to introduce this whole world, this whole other universe, and it just became too much backstory.
Despite these cuts, Shakman remains hopeful that the Red Ghost, his Super-Apes, and other villains excluded can appear in future Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) entries, leaving the door open for their return.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps is now showing in theaters, marking the beginning of the new superhero saga while setting up potential expansions that may bring back these compelling characters down the line.
