Overview
- Jon Watts revealed at the Mediterrane Film Festival that strict COVID-19 protocols and a taxing post-production process left him “out of gas” and led to his April 2022 departure.
- Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige supported Watts’s decision and enlisted Matt Shakman later that year, who retained the core 1960s retro-futuristic aesthetic and main villain from Watts’s original vision.
- Final trailers for The Fantastic Four: First Steps emphasize the team’s powers, retro-futuristic setting and the threat of Galactus without any glimpse of Malkovich’s character.
- John Malkovich was cast in May 2024 but is missing from Disney’s latest press release and promotional materials, prompting speculation that his role may have been cut.
- Fans have noted the film’s runtime has been shortened by about 15 minutes since earlier listings and are awaiting official word on Malkovich’s involvement ahead of its July 25 release.