Fantastic Four Director Doesn’t Plan To Fix The Movie's Largest Issue (For A Good Reason)

The Fantastic Four: First Steps' director addressed the movie's biggest issue but he explained why it will not be fixed. Expected to have a strong opening weekend, The Fantastic Four arrived to rave reviews ahead of its worldwide debut, with fans largely enjoying Marvel Studios’ first efforts with the team. However, in terms of complaints, one issue stood out more than the rest.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps director Matt Shakman spoke on the film potentially getting a longer director’s cut after the theatrical cut’s debut in theaters. Like many MCU movies released in the Multiverse Saga, The Fantastic Four had a relatively short runtime at only 1 hour and 55 minutes. This led to complaints from critics about the story feeling rushed at times, with many wondering if any deleted scenes could be added back in to fill those gaps.

Shakman spoke with Elite Daily about having to cut John Malkovich's Red Ghost from the final cut of the film. The sequence including his character would have been featured early in the runtime. Asked about a possible director’s cut being released, Shakman explained that the movie's unfinished scenes have "so many visual effects" that needed to be completed, making it impossible for the director's cut to be completed:

"There are so many visual effects involved that those scenes remain unfinished, so that’s not possible."

Considering how short the movie's runtime was, many felt a few plot points could have been explored more deeply with anywhere from 10 to 20 more minutes of footage. Along with John Malkovich's work as the Red Ghost (which was left on the cutting room floor), the story could have delved deeper into the team's origins while also providing a more in-depth look at the film's main villain, Galactus.

Starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, The Fantastic Four: First Steps became Marvel Studios' first Phase 6 movie and the MCU's first full take on the Fantastic Four. Four years into their tenure as superheroes, they face the unenviable task of saving their universe from the wrath of Ralph Ineson's Galactus after a warning from his herald, Julia Garner's Silver Surfer. The Fantastic Four: First Steps is now playing in theaters worldwide.

Will Marvel Release Deleted Scenes for The Fantastic Four?

Deleted scenes are often part of the story of most Marvel movies, as seen most recently in reports about moments removed from 2025's Captain America: Brave New World. This is becoming much more common in the Multiverse Saga, as eight of the  MCU movies since 2021 have had runtimes of 130 minutes or less.

As noted in multiple reviews for The Fantastic Four (including ours at The Direct), there were a handful of noticeable plot holes throughout the film's 105-minute runtime. This included a few moments that felt a little too convenient for the titular team, and others that could have benefited from just another few minutes of footage showing fans more of what they were taking in.

Looking ahead to future MCU movies, fans hope to see an increase in runtime from Marvel Studios' next outing, Spider-Man: Brand New Day. This is particularly true after its predecessor, Spider-Man: No Way Home, became one of the MCU's most beloved movies with a runtime of nearly two and a half hours.

After that, viewers will prepare for the Russo Brothers' efforts with Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. The directors have already teased runtimes of anywhere from two and a half hours to three hours for both movies, meaning the public will get a huge helping of footage and action from dozens of Marvel's most notable MCU and legacy heroes in those films.

While The Fantastic Four will not benefit from a longer runtime, many hope Marvel will consider fans' issues with these decisions and adjust accordingly for Phase 6 and beyond.