Who is John Malkovich playing in ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps?’ You will never guess…

For instance, while we saw Ben Grimm in all his rocky glory and even got a glimpse at Galactus (in all his bucket-heated glory), there’s still much we don’t know about First Steps. Where’s Julia Garner’s Silver Surfer? Does H.E.R.B.I.E. the adorable low-fi robot speak? Will Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom be in this one? And, most pertinently for the trailer, who is John Malkovich playing?

The two-time Oscar nominee’s role is shrouded in mystery at present, and yet his specific look in the trailer (let’s call it Santa Hobo Chic) appears to confirm the most prominent rumor about his character’s identity. And if we’re right about this then Malkovich’s presence is just another promise that First Steps is going to fully embrace the craziness of the Fantastic Four comics. Did somebody say “super-ape army”…?

Who is Red Ghost, John Malkovich’s presumed Fantastic Four character?

Going by the evidence, plus some murmurings that have been surrounding the film since the actor was cast, it seems likely that John Malkovich is playing the Red Ghost, a rather obscure supervillain from Fantastic Four lore.

Real name Ivan Kragoff, the Red Ghost is a Russian scientist who became obsessed with recreating the exposure to cosmic rays that gave the Four their powers. Setting off on his own mission into space, Kragoff got what he wanted and formed his own superpowered foursome. The only thing is that he was the only human aboard his rocket, as he was accompanied by a trio of trained primates. Just as Kragoff came out of the experience with powers (invisibility and phasing abilities, à la Sue Storm), so to did his simian pals, and the mad scientist dubbed them his Super-Apes. He later augmented other apes the same way to form his own private primate army.

Again, Malkovich’s role as Red Ghost has yet to be confirmed, but it would make a lot of sense. The character debuted on the page all the way back in 1963’s Fantastic Four #13 and it certainly seems like the film is drawing from the original Stan Lee/Jack Kirby comics. Likewise, Russia trying to create its own version of American superheroes is a classic MCU trope at this point — see the Winter Soldier and Red Guardian.

The teaser didn’t contain any suggestion that Kragoff’s Super-Apes are on their way, but given this is a movie that’s going to give us a comic-accurate Galactus it stands to reason that it wouldn’t shy away from slipping in a mega-monkey military as well. Who would’ve thought that the C-list leader of a Super-Ape army would make their MCU debut before Blade? What a multiverse!