‘Fantastic Four’ director reveals reason of John Malkovich’s exit from film

The Fantastic Four: First Steps director Matt Shakman opened up about his decision of cutting John Malkovich’s character Red Ghost from the movie.

Malkovich’s role was never revealed ahead of the movie's premiere, but fans speculated that his appearance in the first teaser trailer hints at him playing Ivan Kragoff, a former Soviet scientist known as the Red Ghost, a Fantastic Four antagonist who first appeared in 1963.

In an interview with Variety, the filmmaker shared about his career and his experience making the film: "There were a lot of things that ultimately ended up hitting the cutting room floor."

He added, "When we were building a ’60s retro-future world, introducing all of these villains, introducing these four main characters as a group, as well as individually, introducing the idea of a child there was a lot of stuff to balance in this movie and some things had to go ultimately in terms of shaping the film for its final version."

He went to gush about the actor and share his sorrow over Malkovich not being part of the film.

"It was heartbreaking not to include him in the final version of the movie because he’s one of my very favorite humans and one of my biggest inspirations," the director said.

Shakman continued, "What he’s done on stage as an actor and what he’s done as a director in theater as well as in film, and as just a film actor of incredible ability I was honored he came to play."

The Fantastic Four: First Steps starring Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Vanessa Kirby and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, is slated for release on July 25.