Marvel Officially Removes ‘Fantastic Four’ Character, Won’t Be Included in MCU
Marvel Studios has officially opened the doors to Phase Six of the MCU with Matt Shakman’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025), and with the film’s strong debut comes a behind-the-scenes revelation about a high-profile casting change.
After a challenging stretch through Phase Four and a lukewarm finish to Phase Five with Captain America: Brave New World (2025) and Thunderbolts* (2025), the Marvel Cinematic Universe is gaining traction again. Enter The Fantastic Four: First Steps—a cosmic, retro-style adventure introducing Marvel’s First Family to Kevin Feige’s interconnected universe.
Led by Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/Human Torch, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing, the film also introduces major threats in Julia Garner’s Shalla-Bal/The Herald and Ralph Ineson’s Galactus.
The film has earned both critical and fan praise out of the gate. With an 87% score on Rotten Tomatoes and an A– CinemaScore, First Steps marks a tonal and narrative reset for the MCU. Instead of rehashing the origin story, Shakman delivers a version of the Fantastic Four as a well-established superhero unit, set against a vivid 1960s-inspired backdrop. Critics have pointed out the emotional weight and visual flair as standout elements.
On the financial side, the film is proving to be a box office hit. Thursday preview screenings brought in $24 million—2025’s biggest preview haul—followed by $57 million on Friday. The film is on pace for a projected $115–135 million domestic debut and an estimated $200 million worldwide opening.
Yet, despite the large ensemble cast—including Natasha Lyonne as Rachel Rozman and Paul Walter Hauser as Harvey Elder/Mole Man—one major star didn’t make the final cut. John Malkovich, who had been announced as part of the MCU and even appeared in the film’s early trailers, was removed from the movie shortly before release. Malkovich was set to portray the Red Ghost.
Director Matt Shakman explained the reasoning behind the cut during an interview with Phase Hero’s Brandon Davis.
“We wanted to get the sense of history. We wanted these characters to feel lived in. We wanted the city to feel lived in. This is a real family, and they’ve been doing this for four years. Part of that was showing all the things they’ve done along the way,” said Shakman. “Building the Future Foundation, defeating Red Ghost, Mad Thinker, Mole Man…it was part of building the history for them so we could jump in and see them change as a family when a child is introduced.”
Shakman further elaborated on the Red Ghost’s removed scenes: “We had an opening that involved a lot of action about the Red Ghost,” he said. “We had an incredible performance from John Malkovich. It was just so much material when we were trying to get to that present-day moment when their world changes and Franklin’s arrival becomes imminent.”
He added, “We had Red Ghost trying to steal a rocket ship with his apes, Reed trying to defeat him, and outwitting him. They had a lot of really fun stuff. We used snippets of it in that montage you see where he’s kicking one of the Super-Apes into the water.”
First introduced in “Fantastic Four #13” (1963), Ivan Kragoff, AKA the Red Ghost, is a Soviet-era villain obsessed with surpassing the Fantastic Four. Gaining powers after exposing himself and his Super-Apes to cosmic radiation, Kragoff could phase through matter, while his apes exhibited strength, elasticity, and gravity manipulation. Though a dated figure in many ways, he occasionally resurfaces in Marvel Comics as both satire and symbol.
Looking forward, Marvel’s First Family will reassemble in Avengers: Doomsday (2026), now slated for a December release. The film also sees the much-anticipated return of Robert Downey Jr. as Victor Von Doom/Doctor Doom, which is expected to bolster its box office performance. One year later, Avengers: Secret Wars (2027) will follow, directed by the Russo Brothers.
Before that, Tom Holland’s Spider-Man will headline Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026), directed by Shang-Chi‘s Destin Daniel Cretton, releasing on July 31, 2025.
Do you think Marvel made the right call removing John Malkovich’s Red Ghost? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!
