Fantastic Four: First Steps Character May Be Cut Even After Appearing in Trailer

John Malkovich was cast in a mystery role in The Fantastic Four: First Steps and appeared in the film’s first teaser trailer, but some people believe the actor might have been cut from the movie. Recently, the Walt Disney Company’s official Website posted an article commemorating the release of the final First Steps trailer. In addition to the video, it includes general information about the film, such as the cast. Interestingly, Malkovich is not listed among the ensemble. Obviously, stars Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach are mentioned, as are the actors bringing First Steps‘ villains to life: Ralph Ineson and Julia Garner.

“The action adventure also stars Paul Walter Hauser, Natasha Lyonne, and Sarah Niles,” Disney’s article reads. That marks the end of the cast list, as the article then shifts to detailing people who worked behind the scenes, such as director Matt Shakman and producer Kevin Feige.

Malkovich joined the Fantastic Four: First Steps cast back in May 2024. Since details about his character were never revealed, Marvel fans speculated who the Oscar nominee could be playing. Possibilities mentioned included Dr. Franklin Storm, Nathaniel Richards, and Red Ghost. A brief glimpse of Malkovich in the First Steps teaser trailer released this February did not provide any clear context.

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In the build up to the film’s release this July, Malkovich has stayed relatively quiet about his mysterious Fantastic Four role. The most notable comments he’s made is revealing that he previously turned down Marvel movies over insufficient pay. Part of his reasoning for joining First Steps stemmed from his desire to work with Shakman again. The two had collaborated on the film Cut Bank.

It’s odd that Malkovich is not listed as part of the First Steps cast on Disney’s official Website. Even if his role isn’t significant, he’s a recognizable name that the studio would want to promote. It’s certainly possible that Malkovich’s role was cut. Tentpoles like First Steps are constantly evolving, and perhaps sequences that were once thought necessary are no longer needed. Since the Fantastic Four filmmakers haven’t said much about Malkovich’s role, it’s difficult to speculate, but it stands reason to believe that if the actor was in the movie, Disney would list him with the rest of the cast.

It might be telling that since fans got that initial look at Malkovich in the First Steps teaser trailer, he hasn’t been seen in the marketing campaign since. Disney has released a plethora of promotional materials for the movie over the last handful of months, so there have been plenty of opportunities to shed further light on Malkovich’s role. Instead, the focus has been on introducing the Fantastic Four team, highlighting the threat of Galactus, and getting viewers acclimated to the film’s 1960s-inspired retro-futuristic setting. When Malkovich appeared in the teaser trailer, it felt like Marvel was laying a foundation and would explore his character more in subsequent trailers and TV spots. Instead, it’s all been quiet on that front, and people would be forgiven if they forgot Malkovich was seemingly part of First Steps. It’ll be interesting to see what happens when the movie premieres next month.