Actor John Malkovich has revealed why he finally decided to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe with a role in The Fantastic Four: First Steps after having rejected offers from Marvel Studios in the past.
Malkovich joined the cast of The Fantastic Four: First Steps in May 2024. While his role remains under wraps, notable scooper Charles Murphy recently reported that the actor would be playing Ivan Kragoff/Red Ghost in the Fantastic Four movie. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the supervillain genius first appeared in Fantastic Four #13 in 1963 alongside his Super-Apes. However, until Marvel Studios confirms who Malkovich is playing, fans should take this scoop with a grain of salt.
During a recent interview with GQ, Malkovich revealed that he had turned down offers from Marvel in the past, explaining that the only reason he turned them down was because he felt the company wasn’t offering him enough money.
“The reason I didn’t do them had nothing to do with any artistic considerations whatsoever. I didn’t like the deals they made, at all,” he explained. “These films are quite grueling to make . . . If you’re going to hang from a crane in front of a green screen for six months, pay me. You don’t want to pay me, it’s cool, but then I don’t want to do it, because I’d rather be onstage, or be directing a play, or doing something else.”
Presumably, the pay was to Malkovich’s liking for The Fantastic Four: First Steps, although that wasn’t the only reason the actor decided to join the MCU movie. He also told GQ that he wanted to work with director Matt Shakman again following their collaboration on 2014’s Cut Bank. Now, having shot his role, Malkovich found that the experience was “not that dissimilar to doing theater. You imagine a bunch of stuff that isn’t there and do your little play.”
John Malkovich was eyed to play Vulture in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 4
Malkovich didn’t share which Marvel roles he had been offered in the past, although it is well-known that the actor was in negotiations to play Vulture in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 4, which was ultimately scrapped in favor of 2012’s The Amazing Spider-Man. The Vulture ultimately ended up being portrayed by Michael Keaton in 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming, which is part of the MCU.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps is scheduled to hit theaters on July 25, 2025.
