A Plea for Malkovich: Let Him Embrace His Inner Comic Book Villain!
Director Matt Shakman revealed to Variety that numerous elements were ultimately cut from the upcoming “Fantastic Four: First Steps” movie. He explained that balancing the introduction of four main heroes, the establishment of a retro-futuristic 1960s setting, and incorporating several villains, along with the concept of a child, proved challenging. Consequently, some aspects had to be sacrificed to streamline the final film.
Shakman, who previously collaborated with John Malkovich on his directorial debut, the crime thriller Cut Bank, had cast Malkovich as Red Ghost, a relatively obscure Marvel antagonist. Fans of the early “Fantastic Four” comics will recall that Red Ghost aimed to seize control of the moon using his team of super-intelligent apes, empowered by the same cosmic rays that granted the Fantastic Four their abilities. According to Variety’s report, the original plan included a cold open featuring Red Ghost battling the Fantastic Four. This scene, unfortunately, was removed, which is disappointing considering how perfectly Malkovich seemed suited for the role.
Malkovich’s journey in the comic book movie realm has been fraught with near misses. Way back in 2010, before Sony and Marvel shifted gears to produce The Amazing Spider-Man starring Andrew Garfield and directed by Marc Webb (500 Days of Summer), the studios intended to continue Sam Raimi’s highly successful Spider-Man series. While Spider-Man 3 didn’t receive the same critical acclaim as the almost-perfect Spider-Man 2, there was optimism that Raimi and Tobey Maguire could maintain the franchise’s momentum. However, disagreements arose. Raimi strongly desired Malkovich for the role of Vulture, also known as Adrian Toomes, a bald criminal, while Sony favored Anne Hathaway as Black Cat, believing her casting would attract a younger audience.
It’s truly unfortunate that the project ultimately fell through, given Malkovich’s potential for the role.
Perhaps it’s time for Malkovich to explore other avenues. We might see his portrayal of Red Ghost in deleted scenes from Fantastic Four: First Steps. (Unless legal or compensation complexities hinder the release of those clips, in which case we may never witness his performance as Red Ghost.) Marvel could potentially offer him a unique “what-if” cameo in a future multiverse-themed adventure to make amends. However, after experiencing two setbacks, it wouldn’t be surprising if Malkovich decided to distance himself from the MCU. Marvel, you’ve seemingly wronged Malkovich. Unless, of course, you considered offering him the voice role of Beta Ray Bill, in which case we’re fully supportive!