THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS Actor John Malkovich Reveals Why He Turned Down Marvel Roles In The Past

THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS Actor John Malkovich Reveals Why He Turned Down Marvel Roles In The Past

The Fantastic Four: First Steps actor John Malkovich has revealed that he declined offers to play other Marvel characters in the past, and explained why he turned down the offers...

By MarkCassidy - Feb 18, 2025 03:02 PM EST
Filed Under: Fantastic Four

Though it might seem hard to believe given the range of genres he's appeared in over the years, John Malkovich will make his superhero movie debut in this year's The Fantastic Four: First Steps, but the legendary actor has now revealed that he has had several opportunities to join major comic book movie projects in the past.

While speaking to GQ, Malkovich explained that he declined a number of Marvel offers in the past, for the simple reason that he didn't feel the studio was willing to pay him enough.

“The reason I didn’t do them had nothing to do with any artistic considerations whatsoever,” said the Opus star. “I didn’t like the deals they made, at all. These films are quite gruelling 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.”

Malkovich didn't name any of the movies or characters he was offered, but we have heard that he was one of the actors up for the role of Green Goblin in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man prior to Willem Dafoe signing on. There was also talk of him playing Vulture in Sony Pictures' fourth Spider-Man movie before the decision was made to reboot the franchise with The Amazing Spider-Man.

As for his The Fantastic Four character, Malkovich is rumored to be playing one of the team's oldest villains, Ivan Kragoff, aka the Red Ghost.

"It’s not that dissimilar to doing theater,” he said of his mysterious FF role. “You imagine a bunch of stuff that is not there and do your little play.”

In the comics, Kragoff was a Russian scientist who attempted to replicate the conditions that gave the Fantastic Four their powers. After building a ceramic ship, he flew to the moon with three trained apes: Peotor the Orangutan, Miklho the gorilla, and Igor the Baboon.

The cosmic rays gave Kragoff and his simian allies incredible powers, with Peotor developing control over magnetism, Miklho gaining enhanced strength, and Igor becoming a shape-shifter. Ivan himself gained the ability to become intangible at will, taking the supervillain moniker Red Ghost.

We did catch a quick glimpse of a long-hared, bearded Malkovich in the first trailer for The Fantastic Four, and he certainly resembled the comic book version of Red Ghost.

The Fantastic Four reboot stars Pedro Pascal (The Last of Us, The Mandalorian) as Reed Richards, aka Mr. Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby (Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning) as Sue Storm, aka the Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn (Stranger Things, A Quiet Place Day One) as Johnny Storm, aka The Human Torch, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Punisher, The Bear) as Ben Grimm, aka the Thing. 

Galactus has been confirmed as the main villain, and the Eater of Worlds will be played by Ralph Ineson (The Witch, Game of Thrones). Julia Garner (Ozark, Wolf Man) will play Silver Surfer. Natasha Lyonne and Paul Walter Houser are also on board in undisclosed roles. 

Kevin Feige recently confirmed that the movie will take place in an alternate universe, but we know that Marvel's First Family will appear in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, so we wouldn't be surprised if they find their way into the main MCU timeline by the end of this movie.

"Set against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, Marvel Studios' The Fantastic Four: First Steps introduces Marvel’s First Family—Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm/Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm/Human Torch (Joseph Quinn) and Ben Grimm/The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) as they face their most daunting challenge yet.

Forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, they must defend Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer (Julia Garner). And if Galactus’ plan to devour the entire planet and everyone on it weren’t bad enough, it suddenly gets very personal."

Matt Shakman directs The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which is set to hit theaters on July 25, 2025.

THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS Gets A Fantastic New IMAX Countdown Promo In Theaters
Related:

THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS Gets A Fantastic New IMAX Countdown Promo In Theaters

FANT4STIC Star Miles Teller On FIRST STEPS: I Don't Wish Anybody To Be Part Of A Bomb...
Recommended For You:

FANT4STIC Star Miles Teller On FIRST STEPS: "I Don't Wish Anybody To Be Part Of A Bomb..."

DISCLAIMER: As a user generated site and platform, ComicBookMovie.com is protected under the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act) and "Safe Harbor" provisions.

This post was submitted by a user who has agreed to our Terms of Service and Community Guidelines. ComicBookMovie.com will disable users who knowingly commit plagiarism, piracy, trademark or copyright infringement. Please CONTACT US for expeditious removal of copyrighted/trademarked content. CLICK HERE to learn more about our copyright and trademark policies.

Note that ComicBookMovie.com, and/or the user who contributed this post, may earn commissions or revenue through clicks or purchases made through any third-party links contained within the content above.

ModHaterSLADE
ModHaterSLADE - 2/18/2025, 3:18 PM
Fair enough🤷🏾‍♂️
GeneralZod
GeneralZod - 2/18/2025, 3:20 PM
Spoken like a boss.
RedFury
RedFury - 2/18/2025, 3:29 PM
I love this answer haha. I guess he got what he wanted for F4 then.
BobGarlen
BobGarlen - 2/18/2025, 3:32 PM
@RedFury - the man knows his worth.
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 2/18/2025, 3:36 PM
@RedFury - it’s honest & blunt…

I expect nothing else from Malkovich lol
McMurdo
McMurdo - 2/18/2025, 3:31 PM
Why would Malkovich be up for a role Willem Dafoe clearly already owned? Were we supposed to get two variants of GG? Makes more sense he woulda been up for Vulture given that was a common rumor at the time of Homecoming pre principal photography.
ProfessorWhy
ProfessorWhy - 2/18/2025, 3:42 PM
@McMurdo - I believe they were referring to the casting of Raimi's first Spider-man movie
Apophis71
Apophis71 - 2/18/2025, 3:32 PM
Plenty of actors either have to presented with a story and character that is so interesting to them that they'd almost do it for free OR offered enough money in a role that doesnt suck they can afford to spend more time dong stories and characters for almost nothing.

This is that kind of actor.
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 2/18/2025, 3:35 PM
@Apophis71 - agreed

Some actors also don’t particularly care about the role or story but if they get a filmmaker they want to work with then there’s too

Hell , some actors do superhero movies for their kids or grandkids so various reasons
Apophis71
Apophis71 - 2/18/2025, 3:47 PM
@TheVisionary25 - Yup, can't recall which actor or role but DO remember fairly recently one literaly saying in multiple interviews after always playing serious roles in 'mature' content he took a part literaly as his kid was old enough to realise that a.) He was an actor and b.) they were never allowed to watch anything he was in thus when a part came up for a thing he knew his kid would love jumped on it.
EskimoJ
EskimoJ - 2/18/2025, 3:50 PM
@Apophis71 - I remember Cate Blanchett saying she took on the Hela role because she just wanted to play around and punch things then go drinking.
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 2/18/2025, 3:51 PM
@EskimoJ - yeah

I know Bale took on Gorr mainly for his kids and wanted to work with Taika.
MasterMix
MasterMix - 2/18/2025, 3:33 PM
User Comment Image
MakeAmericaGrea
MakeAmericaGrea - 2/18/2025, 3:36 PM
Because he had more money than he does now.
Izaizaiza
Izaizaiza - 2/18/2025, 3:39 PM
Fair points. 👍🏻
MakeAmericaGrea
MakeAmericaGrea - 2/18/2025, 3:39 PM
"After building a ceramic ship, he flew to the moon with three trained apes: Peotor the Orangutan, Miklho the gorilla, and Igor the Baboon."

Baboons are monkeys, not apes.
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 2/18/2025, 3:50 PM
If you count Jonah Hex as a superhero then this technically his second film since he was the bad guy in that…

User Comment Image

Anyway , his comments are certainly fair since everyone’s gotta eat which makes me wonder how big of a role he has in FF if they have paid him a satisfying amount to be in it?.

Regardless , looking forward to seeing him in the film since he’s always great imo!!.
CBMSTAR
CBMSTAR - 2/18/2025, 4:00 PM
I hope we see the Yancey Street gang Or the Impossible Man (well maybe in Part 2)! Does anyone remember them giving the Thing a hard time lol?
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 2/18/2025, 4:14 PM
I initially thought he could be Franklin Storm who is Johnny & Sues dad in the comics but going by the teaser , he definitely seems to be playing Ivan Kragoff/Red Ghost given the hair and outfit ( though there seems to be a distinct lack of red which gives me pause)

User Comment Image

However what if he’s Nathaniel Richards?.

User Comment Image
Snow43214
Snow43214 - 2/18/2025, 4:17 PM
Legit reason, I'd not do my job if they didn't pay me enough
AnthonyVonGeek
AnthonyVonGeek - 2/18/2025, 4:22 PM
Let me get in that head….
User Comment Image
bkmeijer1
bkmeijer1 - 2/18/2025, 5:58 PM
The green screen/theatre comparison is interesting. Hadn't thought about it that way, but I guess he has a point.
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 2/18/2025, 6:03 PM
@bkmeijer1 - yeah , I have read some actors compare it to doing theatre

I feel like theatre actors tend to have bigger imaginations hence can do better via greenscreen

Please log in to post comments.

Don't have an account?
Please Register.

View Recorder