John Malkovich was cast as Ivan Kragoff, the Red Ghost, in Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which opened in theaters on July 25, 2025. His scenes were removed before the theatrical release, according to director Matt Shakman, so he does not appear in the film as released. The title’s “five big theories” framing overstates what the reporting supports: the coverage establishes the confirmed role and a few named guesses that circulated before it was revealed, but not a definitive list of five.
Who Malkovich was cast to play
Marvel announced Malkovich as part of the cast in 2024 without naming his character. TheWrap later identified him as Red Ghost, Ivan Kragoff, and reported that the character appeared briefly in an early trailer. That trailer appearance is the only public footage the reporting describes; it does not mean the character made the finished film.
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Why the role was cut
In July 2025, Variety reported that Shakman confirmed Malkovich’s scenes were cut before release. Shakman’s explanation was about how much the film had to carry: its retro-futuristic setting, four central characters with individual relationships, Reed and Sue’s child, and the cosmic threats all competed for limited story time. Variety reported that material had to be removed while the final version was shaped, and TheWrap described the Red Ghost as having been slated for the beginning of the movie.
Shakman’s comments on the decision were direct. As Variety quoted him from its July 17, 2025 interview coverage: “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.” In the same coverage Shakman also said: “There were a lot of things that ultimately ended up hitting the cutting room floor.”
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The guesses before the reveal
Before the character was identified, fans and press floated several possibilities. Only one of them turned out to be the role, and the others should be read as speculation.
| Character | Where it was raised | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Wizard | Variety’s 2024 casting coverage named it among possible comic characters | Speculation; not confirmed as Malkovich’s role |
| Beyonder | Variety’s 2024 casting coverage named it among possible comic characters | Speculation; not confirmed as Malkovich’s role |
| Puppet Master | TheWrap reports fans speculated about it before Red Ghost was confirmed | Speculation; not confirmed as Malkovich’s role |
| Red Ghost (Ivan Kragoff) | Identified by TheWrap | Confirmed role; cut from the theatrical release |
The reporting reviewed for this article does not tie any further guess to a dated, attributable source, so this article does not count additional names as theories. A numbered list of five would require presenting unsourced rumor as reporting, which the coverage does not support.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Red Ghost in the comics
The Red Ghost is Ivan Kragoff, a Soviet-era scientist associated with the Space Race. According to TheWrap, the character first appeared in Fantastic Four #13 (1963), where Kragoff and three primates were exposed to cosmic rays. Kragoff gained intangibility and invisibility, while the apes developed powers of their own. That origin explains why the character fits a Fantastic Four story built around cosmic exposure and Cold War rivalry.
Readers who want the source material can look for Fantastic Four #13 or a collected edition that reprints it. Check current print and digital availability before buying, since reprint status changes over time.
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