John Malkovich turned down Marvel offers because they didn't pay enough

John Malkovich is a mysterious man, often seen as quite the enigma when it comes to Hollywood celebrities. When thinking of the actor, you might not immediately consider him as a fit for the MCU, but apparently Marvel had been trying to get him on the horn for years.

Speaking to GQ, Malkovich revealed why he's turned them down until now. "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," he said. "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."

After filming The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Malkovich has changed his tune on the experience. "It's not that dissimilar to doing theatre. You imagine a bunch of stuff that isn't there and do your little play."

Malkovich's role in The Fantastic Four: First Steps remains a mystery, although some reports point to him being Ivan Kragoff, AKA the Red Ghost.