John Malkovich Says He Turned Down Marvel Movies Before ‘Fantastic Four’ Due to Low Pay

John Malkovich wants to be paid for what he brings to the table.

The Oscar-nominated actor, who has a mystery role in the upcoming The Fantastic Four: First Steps, revealed during a recent interview with GQ that he passed on previous Marvel films over pay disagreements.

“The reason I didn’t do them had nothing to do with any artistic considerations whatsoever,” he said. “I didn’t like the deals they made, at all.”

Malkovich explained, “These films are quite grueling 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.”

The Being John Malkovich actor finally decided to do The Fantastic Four: First Steps because he also wanted to team up with 2014’s Cut Bank director Matt Shakman again. However, once he shot the superhero movie, Malkovich admitted that “it’s not that dissimilar to doing theater,” adding, “You imagine a bunch of stuff that isn’t there and do your little play.”

The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to Marvel for comment but didn’t immediately hear back.

Though Malkovich has remained quiet on details surrounding his Fantastic Four role, the movie also stars Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach. The film hits theaters July 25.

Elsewhere during his interview with GQ, the actor, also known for his roles in Con Air, Rounders, Dangerous Liaisons and Death of a Salesman, revealed his most challenging project to date.

“One of the hardest things I’ve ever done was a film called Penguins of Madagascar, a children’s film where I played an octopus,” Malkovich said of the 2014 animated film. “And I must have recorded the entire thing, every line; at least a thousand variations of every line. I never understood why it never occurred to them to maybe have a different line. And I did mention that more than occasionally. I didn’t really make any money for it at all, but it doesn’t mean I wouldn’t do it again. I would have a very different contract at this time.”