Latest news with #Malkovich
AsiaOne
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- AsiaOne
John Malkovich's scenes cut from The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Entertainment News
John Malkovich has been cut from The Fantastic Four: First Steps. The 71-year-old actor was set to appear in the new Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) blockbuster as villain Ivan Kragoff/Red Ghost but director Matt Shakman has revealed that his scenes didn't make the final cut as they didn't fit in with the story — which features Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Joseph Quinn as the heroic ensemble. In an interview with Variety, the filmmaker said: "There were a lot of things that ultimately ended up hitting the cutting room floor. "When we were building a '60s retro-future world, introducing all of these villains, introducing these four main characters as a group, as well as individually, introducing the idea of a child — there was a lot of stuff to balance in this movie and some things had to go ultimately in terms of shaping the film for its final version." Shakman had previously worked with Malkovich on his feature directorial debut Cut Bank in 2014 and said that it made the decision to omit the Con Air actor even more agonising. He said: "It was heartbreaking not to include him in the final version of the movie because he's one of my very favourite humans and one of my biggest inspirations. "As a person who walks the line between theatre and film and television, there's no one who is more inspiring than the founder of Steppenwolf Theatre Company. "What he's done on stage as an actor and what he's done as a director in theatre as well as in film, and as just a film actor of incredible ability — I was honoured he came to play." Malkovich revealed earlier this year that he has turned down several Marvel movies in the past because he didn't like the terms in the contracts that were on offer. He told GQ magazine: "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. 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." The Burn After Reading star explained that he was shocked by the similarities between a Marvel production and being on stage when he decided to accept the part. Malkovich said: "It's not that dissimilar to doing theatre. You imagine a bunch of stuff that isn't there and do your little play." The actor even suggested that one of the most demanding roles of his career came when he voiced the character of Dr. Octavius Brine in the 2014 animated flick Penguins of Madagascar. He said: "One of the hardest things I've ever done was a film called Penguins of Madagascar, a children's film where I played an octopus. "And I must have recorded the entire thing, every line; at least a thousand variations of every line. "I never understood why it never occurred to them to maybe have a different line. And I did mention that more than occasionally." [[nid:720352]]
Tom's Guide
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
Bad news for 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' — this legendary actor has been cut from the film
"The Fantastic Four: First Steps" is only a mere week away, but the film's director just gave fans some "heartbreaking" news. In an interview with Variety, director Matt Shakman dropped the bombshell that John Malkovich's performance as Red Ghost was being cut from the movie entirely. 'It was heartbreaking not to include him in the final version of the movie," Shackman said in the interview. "He's one of my very favorite humans and one of my biggest inspirations." For those who are unfamiliar with Red Ghost, his real name is Ivan Kragoff and he was a Soviet scientist who trained a team of Super-Apes to try and claim Earth's moon for the Soviet Union. He's one of the earliest villains to battle the superhero quartet in the comics, first appearing in "Fantastic Four" No. 13 by Jack Kirby. Malkovich's portrayal of the villain was meant to pay homage to this early appearance. He and his Super-Apes were part of a long sequence early in the film detailing Marvel's first family in their early years as superheroes. But despite Shakman calling the performance "brilliant," the director ultimately left Malkovich's scenes on the cutting room floor — though you can still get a glimpse of him at the 1:19 mark in the first teaser trailer for the upcoming MCU movie. Ultimately, it sounds like Shakman made the right call, cutting Malkovich's performance from the film. Yes, it hurt my soul to type those words, but by Shakman's own account, the extended sequence Malkovich's appearance was in didn't really serve the film. 'There were a lot of things that ultimately ended up hitting the cutting room floor,' Shakman told Variety in the same interview in which he revealed Malkovich's omission from the movie. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. 'When we were building a '60s retro-future world, introducing all of these villains, introducing these four main characters as a group, as well as individually, introducing the idea of a child — there was a lot of stuff to balance in this movie and some things had to go ultimately in terms of shaping the film for its final version. This streaming bundle deal is a total steal if you're looking to get both Disney Plus and Hulu on a budget. Bloat doesn't work for any film, and certainly not Marvel ones. It's no coincidence that one of the best-reviewed Marvel films in recent memory, "Thunderbolts*," was also one of the leanest. So hopefully, this only bodes well for "The Fantastic Four: First Steps," even if we do miss out on an incredible performance from a legendary actor. Malcolm has been with Tom's Guide since 2022, and has been covering the latest in streaming shows and movies since 2023. He's not one to shy away from a hot take, including that "John Wick" is one of the four greatest films ever made. Here's what he's been watching lately: Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
Perth Now
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
John Malkovich's Red Ghost scenes cut from The Fantastic Four: First Steps
John Malkovich has been cut from The Fantastic Four: First Steps. The 71-year-old actor was set to appear in the new Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) blockbuster as villain Ivan Kragoff/Red Ghost but director Matt Shakman has revealed that his scenes didn't make the final cut as they didn't fit in with the story – which features Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Joseph Quinn as the heroic ensemble. In an interview with Variety, the filmmaker said: "There were a lot of things that ultimately ended up hitting the cutting room floor. "When we were building a '60s retro-future world, introducing all of these villains, introducing these four main characters as a group, as well as individually, introducing the idea of a child – there was a lot of stuff to balance in this movie and some things had to go ultimately in terms of shaping the film for its final version." Shakman had previously worked with Malkovich on his feature directorial debut Cut Bank in 2014 and said that it made the decision to omit the Con Air actor even more agonising. He said: "It was heartbreaking not to include him in the final version of the movie because he's one of my very favourite humans and one of my biggest inspirations. "As a person who walks the line between theatre and film and television, there's no one who is more inspiring than the founder of Steppenwolf Theatre Company. "What he's done on stage as an actor and what he's done as a director in theatre as well as in film, and as just a film actor of incredible ability – I was honoured he came to play." Malkovich revealed earlier this year that he has turned down several Marvel movies in the past because he didn't like the terms in the contracts that were on offer. He told GQ magazine: "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. 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." The Burn After Reading star explained that he was shocked by the similarities between a Marvel production and being on stage when he decided to accept the part. Malkovich said: "It's not that dissimilar to doing theatre. You imagine a bunch of stuff that isn't there and do your little play." The actor even suggested that one of the most demanding roles of his career came when he voiced the character of Dr. Octavius Brine in the 2014 animated flick Penguins of Madagascar. He said: "One of the hardest things I've ever done was a film called Penguins of Madagascar, a children's film where I played an octopus. "And I must have recorded the entire thing, every line; at least a thousand variations of every line. "I never understood why it never occurred to them to maybe have a different line. And I did mention that more than occasionally."
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Fantastic Four Fans Worried John Malkovich No Longer in MCU Movie
fans are worried that John Malkovich may have been removed from the MCU movie. The Fantastic Four: First Steps arrives in United States theaters in less than a month. The Marvel movie is directed by Matt Shakman and stars Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing, and Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/Human Torch. What do we know about the Fantastic Four cuts? While AMC Theatres listed the Fantastic Four movie's runtime as two hours and 10 minutes (130 minutes) last month, the information was updated earlier this week. The film now has a runtime of 1 hour and 55 minutes (115 minutes). This has led some to speculate that some scenes have been cut out of The Fantastic Four: First Steps. This isn't all that unusual, as it happens from time to time with big blockbuster movies (typically it will happen earlier on in the post-production process, but it's still not unheard of). Fans have now noticed, however, that Malkovich's name doesn't appear anywhere on The Walt Disney Company's official website page for the MCU movie. Malkovich's casting was originally announced in May 2024, though it has not yet been clarified who he is supposed to play in the film. This has led many to wonder if Malkovich's scenes have been removed from the film. Here's what people are saying about the situation: It's worth noting that Malkovich's name is still on Marvel's website page for The Fantastic Four: First Steps, meaning Malkovich fans may not need to panic just yet. The synopsis for the movie reads, '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, Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Johnny Storm/Human Torch and Ben Grimm/The Thing as they face their most daunting challenge yet.' The Fantastic Four: First Steps hits United States theaters on July 25, 2025. Originally reported by Brandon Schreur at SuperHeroHype. The post Fantastic Four Fans Worried John Malkovich No Longer in MCU Movie appeared first on - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Fantastic Four: John Malkovich Cut From Movie, MCU Character Revealed
John Malkovich will not be appearing in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Marvel Studios' The Fantastic Four: First Steps will be released in theaters this month. Directed by Matt Shakman, the film stars Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing, and Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/Human Torch. It was announced in May 2024 that Malkovich had joined the cast of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and, while it was never officially revealed who he was playing, he was seen in one of the trailers for a movie. MCU fans, however, began to wonder if his character had been cut from the movie after The Walt Disney Company's official website page removed his name from the cast list. What did Matt Shakman say about John Malkovich and Fantastic Four? Speaking with Variety, Shakman confirmed that Malkovich has indeed been cut out of The Fantastic Four: First Steps. According to Variety, Malkovich played Red Ghost in some of the early scenes of The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Shakman said that Malkovich 'was brilliant in it, and gave it his all,' but he ultimately realized that his appearance wasn't 'working with the full story.' 'There were a lot of things that ultimately ended up hitting the cutting room floor,' Shakman said. 'When we were building a '60s retro-future world, introducing all of these villains, introducing these four main characters as a group, as well as individually, introducing the idea of a child — there was a lot of stuff to balance in this movie and some things had to go ultimately in terms of shaping the film for its final version. '…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. As a person who walks the line between theater and film and television, there's no one who is more inspiring than the founder of Steppenwolf Theater Company. What he's done on stage as an actor and what he's done as a director in theater as well as in film, and as just a film actor of incredible ability — I was honored he came to play.' Marvel's The Fantastic Four: First Steps hits United States theaters on July 25, 2025. Originally reported by Brandon Schreur at SuperHeroHype. The post Fantastic Four: John Malkovich Cut From Movie, MCU Character Revealed appeared first on - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More. Solve the daily Crossword
