ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine boasted a bonanza of brilliant cameos from Marvel movie history, but, amazingly, there were many more considered that didn’t come to fruition. ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine was one of the most anticipated superhero films in recent years, bringing together two of Marvel’s most beloved characters and introducing them to the MCU timeline. The movie largely functioned as a celebration of the early era of Marvel movie history, and as such featured a swathe of iconic cameos. However, some more notable cameos were planned but, because of numerous issues, did not occur.

ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine reunited Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman as the eponymous Marvel antiheroes. Given ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool’s tendency to break the fourth wall and Wolverine’s long cinematic history, ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine was the perfect opportunity to revisit past iterations of characters from early Marvel movies. ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine featured cameos from a wealth of characters, including Wesley Snipes’ Blade, Jennifer Garner’s Elektra, Channing Tatum’s Gambit, and Chris Evans’ Johnny Storm. Yet, due to scheduling conflicts, creative differences, or budgetary constraints, several notable actors ultimately didn’t reprise their roles.

8

Nicolas Cage As Ghost Rider

Originally Appeared In Ghost Rider (2007)

Nicolas Cage’s portrayal of Ghost Rider in the mid-2000s left an indelible mark on Marvel’s cinematic history. Cage brought the gruff and distinctive antihero to life with flair and his trademark charm. Given the character’s cult following, there was considerable interest in reintroducing Cage’s Ghost Rider in ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine.

Early drafts of the film included sequences featuring Ghost Rider, and concept artist Rodney Fuentebella even created illustrations depicting Cage’s character. Ghos Rider appears fighting alongside other Marvel heroes, which Fuenebella later released on Instagram. Ryan Reynolds, who not only stars as ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool but also serves as a writer and producer, confirmed these plans, stating, “We did talk to Nic Cage. We tried to get him, but he was a no-go… I would’ve loved him” (via EW).

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The inclusion of Ghost Rider would have added a supernatural element to the film, potentially expanding the narrative’s scope. Despite the enthusiasm from the creative team, logistical challenges and possibly Cage’s prior commitments led to the cameo’s exclusion. Reynolds specifically pointed to ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine’s budget, which was already stretched as far as it could go.

7

Vinnie Jones as Juggernaut

Originally Appeared In X-Men: The Last Stand

Vinnie Jones’s portrayal of Juggernaut in X-Men: The Last Stand introduced the formidable mutant with unstoppable force. He starred in some of the movie’s most memorable scenes, including the thrilling confrontation with Kitty Pryde. After a CGI rendition appeared in ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool 2, the character’s potential return in ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine was explored.

Director Shawn Levy considered various approaches, including bringing back Jones or opting for a CGI representation. Jones, however, declined the opportunity, citing the physical and mental challenges ᴀssociated with the role. He explained in an interview with Yahoo! UK, “It’s such a drama putting that suit on mentally and physically… it had its mental toll as well because you’re in it, and you can’t do anything all day; you can only drink through a straw.”

Additionally, Jones reflected on his previous experience, describing it as a “shambles” due to changes in direction and dilution of his character’s role. Despite his appreciation for the ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool franchise, these factors contributed to his decision to pᴀss on the cameo. This scenario highlights the importance of actor comfort and the practical considerations of costume design in film production.

6

Walker Scobell as Kid ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool

Originally Appeared In The Dama Project

Walker Scobell, known for his role in Percy Jackson and the Olympians, was a strong contender to portray Kidpool, a youthful variant of ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool, in ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine. His primarily came from the fact that Scobell played a younger version of Ryan Reynolds’ character in The Adam Project. As such, Shawn Levy and Ryan Reynolds saw potential in Scobell.

However, as Levy explained to EW, the natural progression of Scobell’s growth presented challenges. Levy noted, “If Walker Scobell had stopped evolving right before puberty, he absolutely would’ve been Kidpool.” However, as Scobell grew taller and his voice matured, it became evident that he no longer fit the envisioned portrayal of Kidpool.

Understanding the situation, Scobell graciously accepted the decision. Scobell must have been disappointed though, as he is a noted ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool fan. Levy explained, “It was his dream. Ryan and I reached out to him once we realized he was now going to be too old, both too tall and with his voice too low.” Instead, Kidpool was played by one of Ryan Reynolds’ children.

5

Ben Affleck As Daredevil

Originally Appeared In Daredevil

During the development of ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine, co-writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick considered bringing back Ben Affleck as Daredevil. Affleck originally portrayed the blind superhero in the 2003 Daredevil film, a project that has gained a mixed reputation over the years. Nevertheless, it represents a significant moment in Marvel movie history.

According to director Shawn Levy, Affleck’s version of the character was “on the list” of potential cameos, but the idea never came to fruition (via Variety). He was, however, considered long enough to be included in Fuentebella’s ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine concept art (above). The decision to exclude Daredevil came down to maintaining a streamlined story while focusing on characters that better fit the film’s narrative.

Ultimately, it was decided that Jennifer Garner’s Elektra proffered a more compelling representation of Daredevil and the movie’s legacy. Meanwhile, a recast Bullseye appeared as part of the villain line-up. Affleck was referenced, however, when ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool joked about Affleck’s real-world divorce from Garner, ensuring his presence was still felt in the movie.

4

Danny DeVito As Short Wolverine

Originally Played The Penguin In Batman Returns

Danny DeVito is an iconic actor who is best known in the superhero realm for playing the monstrous Penguin in Tim Burton’s Batman Returns. For years, people have humorously suggested that Danny DeVito would be a perfect Wolverine, citing his short stature, gruff voice, and intense screen presence. An online peтιтion advocating for DeVito’s casting in the role even gained over 63,000 signatures on Change.org.

Consequently, DeVito was considered briefly to play comic-accurate height Wolverine in ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine. In an interview with THR, writers Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese discussed the numerous casting rumors that swirled around ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine. Reese confirmed “It was pitched, yeah. And ultimately it was thought it was just funnier to see Hugh. A short version of Hugh was funnier.”

Indeed, the reveal of “Short King” Wolverine’s height as he hoped off the stool was exceptionally funny. Nevertheless, the idea of DeVito playing a wild, exaggerated take on Wolverine is a hilarious concept. He would have been ideal for the movie’s irreverent tone, and its playful romp through superhero movie history.

3

The Fantastic Four (2015) Cast

Originally Appeared In Fantastic Four, Sytlized As Fant4stic

One of the most unexpected ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine cameo rumors was the cast of 2015’s Fantastic Four: Miles Teller (Reed Richards), Kate Mara (Sue Storm), Michael B. Jordan (Johnny Storm), and Jamie Bell (Ben Grimm). Fant4stic rebooted Fox’s Fantastic Four franchise and is widely considered a complete flop. Nonetheless, Ryan Reynolds confirmed that featuring the ill-fated version of Marvel’s First Family was discussed during the script’s development.

In an interview with Collider, Reynolds explained that the Fant4stic cast was part of discussions but noted several obstacles. He cited budget concerns and the complexities of character licensing in an R-rated movie. Furthermore, the Fant4stic cast could never have had the same impact as Chris Evans.

Chris Evans made a thrilling return as Johnny Storm (AKA the Human Torch) from Fox’s Fantastic Four (2005) and its sequel Fantastic Four: The Rise of the Silver Surfer. The mislead in ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine that Evans was the MCU’s Captain America made for a wonderful entrance and produced one of the movie’s most memorable scenes. That said, the notion of ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool acknowledging one of Fox’s most notorious superhero flops is very entertaining.

2

Rob McElhenney As A TVA Agent

Own A Soccer Team With Ryan Reynolds

Rob McElhenney is an actor best known for his role as Mac on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Friends in real life, McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds bought a Welsh soccer team together called Wrexham AFC, leading to the award-winning documentary Welcome to Wrexham. It was therefore fair to predict that McElhenney would receive a ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine cameo.

Indeed, McElhenney did film a cameo in ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine, but the scene was ultimately cut. As confirmed on Reynolds’ Instagram (vancityreynolds), McElhenney appeared as a TVA agent, posting images of the actor in his full costume and behind the scenes. However, Reynolds explains that the sequence wasn’t working and ultimately had to be cut from the movie.

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In his charming post, Reynolds tributes McElhenney’s performance, stating, “Rob was the only reason it stayed in the cut for as long as it did, because even under a TVA mask and helmet, you can feel him smoldering with a raw and almost infinite reservoir of talent, writerly wit and “I create hit tv shows” swagger.” Reynolds notes that McElhenney’s cameo will hopefully live on in digital releases, and hinted that it involved a confrontation with Alioth.

1

Robert Downey Jr. As Iron Man

Originally Appeared In Iron Man

The possibility of Robert Downey Jr. returning as Tony Stark/Iron Man in ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine was heavily speculated, and for good reason. The original plan was to have Iron Man appear alongside Jon Favreau’s Happy Hogan during the movie’s opening scene in which Wade Wilson applies to be an Avenger. Ryan Reynolds himself penned the scene, with the ᴀssumption that Downey would appear.

In an interview with IndieWire, Wernick and Reese confirmed that Reynolds “gave [Downey] the hard press” and were surprised that anybody would say no to him. However, RDJ did indeed decline – and the reason why didn’t become clear until later. Unbeknownst to the ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine filmmakers, RDJ was about to be revealed as the MCU’s Doctor Doom.

RDJ’s surprise Doctor Doom casting stopped him from appearing in ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine. As Wernick explained, “We didn’t know about the Doctor Doom. And there’s no way he was going to do both.” Marvel and RDJ presumably didn’t want to undermine his return for a short cameo in ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine, no matter how satisfying it would have been for audiences.

Sources: Rodney Fuentebella, EW – Nicolas Cage, Yahoo! UK, EW – Walker Scobell, Variety – Ben Affleck, Change.org, Collider, vancityreynolds, IndieWire