John Malkovich's scenes cut from 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps'

Entertainment Jul 17, 2025

The Fantastic Four: First Steps hits theaters later this month, but there's a twist—John Malkovich, who was set to play the Red Ghost in the team's origin story, won't actually appear in the final cut.
His scenes were filmed for early montage sequences but ended up on the cutting room floor.

His scenes might show up in digital release

Director Matt Shakman said dropping Malkovich wasn't an easy call, especially with so much going on in the film—from juggling a retro '60s vibe to introducing lots of new characters.
Fans did spot Malkovich briefly in a teaser trailer back in February.
There's still hope though: his Red Ghost scenes (and his Super Apes!) might show up later if there's an extended digital release.