John Malkovich was cut from his new film. Even his legend didn't help.

Even legendary acting status doesn't guarantee screen presence. John Malkovich learned this when he filmed the upcoming comic book film "Fantastic 4: First Feet." The two-time Oscar-nominated star was cut from the production.

John Malkovich played one of the titular team's first adversaries, Ivan Kragoff, aka Red Ghost , in "Fantastic 4: First Steps." However, his involvement in the film will end after filming. Marvel director Matt Shakman officially confirmed to Variety that the legendary actor was edited out.

According to Shakman, John Malkovich was excellent and gave his all as the Red Ghost. His character was supposed to appear in the opening minutes of the film, when a long sequence showcased the first battles of the titular superheroes, who formed the group known as the Fantastic Four. Malkovich's character also appeared briefly in the first trailer for the film, which is scheduled for release on July 25th.

"A lot of things ended up on the cutting room floor. When we were building the retro-futuristic world of the 1960s, we introduced all these villains, and we also introduced the four main characters both collectively and individually, introducing the child. There was a balance to be found, which meant that some things had to be cut from the final cut," Shakman explained.

The director doesn't hide the fact that the decision to cut Malkovich "broke his heart." He emphasizes that the actor is a great inspiration to him and, above all, a good person. Shakman learned this in his feature film debut, "Cut Bank," in which Malkovich starred.

The production struggled to secure financing for years, and only the addition of the "Dangerous Liaisons" star to the cast resolved the problem.