Warning: This article contains spoilers for Deadpool & Wolverine.
Summary
There are many other actors from 20th Century Fox’s former Marvel franchise that I’d love to see join theMCUafter the events ofDeadpool & Wolverine. I was half expecting Marvel Studios' recentDeadpool & Wolverineto end with the destruction ofEarth-10005, the designation for Fox’sX-Menfranchise, which ran for 13 movies between 2000’sX-Menand 2020’sThe New Mutants. This didn’t happen, however, which gives me hope that many other characters from Earth-10005 could make their way into the MCU’s main continuity.
While I would have loved to have seen Deadpool and Wolverine join the MCU permanently in their 2024 movie,Deadpool & Wolverine’sendingwas touching. Deadpool realized his home was exactly where he wanted to be, and Wolverine found a new home with a family that respects him. Since Earth-10005 wasn’t destroyed,it’s very possible that some iconic Marvel actors could reprise their X-Men roles before the end of the Multiverse Saga, reimagining some of Fox’s most wasted, unfinished or, indeed, incredible characters in the MCU.
All 9 Fox X-Men Actors Who Have Returned To The MCU
Nine actors from Fox’s X-Men Universe have confirmed appearances in the MCU, reprising their roles, or a variation of, as the X-Men prepare to debut.
10Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool
Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool Needs To Join The MCU Permanently Before The Multiverse Saga Ends
Even thoughDeadpool & Wolverineseemed to wrap up most of Wade Wilson’s storyline, I would still love to see Ryan Reynolds reprise his iconic role for further MCU projects.This could eventually lead to him permanently joining Earth-616, rather than choosing to remain in his home universe. There are many clues inDeadpool & Wolverinethat this will, in fact, be the case, most notablyDeadpool’s glimpsed future with Chris Hemsworth’s Thor, and the tease of him being a special figure in the MCU’s multiverse.
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Deadpool & Wolverine
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I can’t imagine anybody else assuming the role of Deadpool after Ryan Reynolds, so it doesn’t make sense to me for Marvel Studios to recast the character for Earth-616. This is especially unlikely as Reynolds fought so hard for several years to bring a comic-accurate version of Deadpool into live-action, and this isn’t something he’d simply walk away from.I don’t share these sentiments about Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine, however, as his story has now ended perfectly, twice, so I’d love to see this iconicX-Men member recast in the MCU.
9Lana Condor’s Jubilee
Lana Condor Was Perfect Casting For Jubilee
Jubilation Lee, a.k.a. Jubilee, has been a fan-favorite star in the titular team from 1992’sX-Men: TheAnimated Seriesand the Marvel Animation revival,X-Men ‘97, but her live-action depictions have always fallen flat. Jubilee made brief appearances in the originalX-Mentrilogy, portrayed by Katrina Florence and Kea Wong, but Lana Condor’s role inX-Men: Apocalypsewas marginally larger.Condor’s casting as Jubilee was inspired, but she was given nothing to do in the 2016 movie, so I would love to see her reprise the role.
Jubilee’s pyrotechnic energy abilities make her a huge asset to the X-Men team, but these powers have never been seen on the big-screen, which seems like a major missed opportunity. I desperately want to see Jubilee done justice in the MCU, and bringing back Lana Condor, especially after she has acquired more acting experience, seems like the perfect route to take. Marvel Studios should focus on lesser-known heroes in theMCU’s upcomingX-Menreboot, and Jubilee fits this bill to a tee.
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8Famke Janssen’s Jean Grey
Famke Janssen’s Ending As Jean Grey Didn’t Make Sense After Dark Phoenix
While neitherFamke Janssen nor Sophie Turner’s versions of Jean Greywere completely well-received, I would love to see Janssen reprise the role for one last adventure in the MCU. This is because her ending in Fox’sX-Menfranchise was wildly confusing. Jean Grey died during the 1990s-set events ofDark Phoenix, but then appeared in Xavier’s School at the end of the 2023-setX-Men: Days of Future Past.There is a huge chunk of Jean Grey’s story that still needs to be explored, and Janssen is the perfect actor for the job.
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Jean Grey’s depiction in Fox’sX-Menfranchise was always surface level, with her mostly being used as a point of conflict between Wolverine and Cyclops. EvenX-Men: The Last Standfailed to capture the full impact of her spin as the Dark Phoenix, so I think Famke Janssen deserves another chance to bring Jean Grey to lifebefore the character is recast in the MCU. If Hugh Jackman does return as Wolverine, it would be great to bring a sense of closure to his story with Jean Grey.
7James Marsden’s Cyclops
James Marsden’s Cyclops Was Wasted In Fox’s X-Men Franchise
Widely regarded as being one of20th Century Fox’s most wasted characters, James Marsden deserves to return as Scott Summers’ Cyclops more than most otherX-Menheroes. Marsden had the perfect appearance for Cyclops, but he was written as nothing more than a doting and jealous boyfriend to Jean Grey, whose suspicions over Wolverine overshadowed any semblance of a personality.This is a far cry from the confident and assured leader of the X-Men from Marvel Comics, so it would be great for Marsden to reimagine his beloved hero.
I hated Fox’s treatment of Cyclops throughout theX-Menfranchise, and this was underlined tragically when the iconic hero was killed off early inX-Men: The Last Stand. There was speculation that James Marsden would reprise the role inDeadpool & Wolverine, as he’d been seen near the MCU movie’s filming location, but he explained onThe Playlistthat he had been filming another film in a nearby studio. Marsden ultimately didn’t appear as Cyclops inDeadpool & Wolverine, but the chance is still there for him to return in the MCU’s future.
I keep hearing about that. I can’t walk down the street without someone asking me, so evidently, there’s a lot of chatter about that. It’d be fun… We just wrapped [Sonic the Hedgehog 3] actually. We were near theDeadpoolstages up there in Pinewood, actually… Yeah, this is a little bit of a Pandora’s box.
6Kodi Smit-McPhee’s Nightcrawler
Kodi Smit-McPhee Would Be Great As Nightcrawler Now He’s A Little Older
While Alan Cumming did a brilliant job at bringingKurt Wagner’s Nightcrawlerto life inX2: X-Men United, I personally preferred Kodi Smit-McPhee’s interpretation of the teleporting mutant in Fox’s revisedX-Mentimeline.Smit-McPhee’s Nightcrawler had more of the energy and vibrancy of his Marvel Comics counterpart, and the actor’s slender frame fit the hero perfectly, so I think it would be great to see him return. A few years after his last appearance inDark Phoenix, this could bring a wiser and more self-assured Nightcrawler into the MCU.
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I’m not denying there were some flaws with Kodi Smit-McPhee’s depiction of Nightcrawler, but these issues could very easily be ironed out for his return in the MCU. SinceDark Phoenix, Smit-McPhee has become a more seasoned actor with roles inThe Power of the Dog, ElvisandInterrogation, sohe could now bring more maturity and a more sophisticated personality to Nightcrawler.X-Men ‘97showed the true potential of Nightcrawler in the MCU, and I would love to see this realized in live-action.
5Anna Paquin’s Rogue
Anna Paquin’s Rogue Deserves To Show Off More Of Her Powers
Similarly to the likes of Jubilee and Cyclops, Rogue was never used as she should have been in Fox’sX-Menfranchise. Anna Paquin did the best with what she was given, but she never got the chance to fully inhabit a comic-accurate version of her iconic Marvel character. Instead,Rogue’s personality, charm and power was stripped away to make her a background character who could only absorb the powers of other mutants. I wantRogue to be recast for the MCUwith a more youthful and energetic actor, but Paquin deserves the chance to redeem her version of Rogue first.
Bringing Rogue into the MCU means her most iconic storyline could be adapted for live-action. AfterThe Marvels, I think havingCarol Danvers’ powers stolen by Roguewould be fantastic to see in the MCU, asthis would not only allow Anna Paquin to show off more of her skills, but would also set Brie Larson’s cosmic hero on a new, and perhaps more exciting, path. Other actors have expressed interest in bringing Rogue to life in the MCU, but a final goodbye to Paquin’s Rogue would make me very happy.
The MCU Can Fix Fox’s 19-Year-Long Rogue Mistake With 1 Move
The MCU can fix a 19-year-old X-Men mistake with Rogue, and all it would take is one easy move with a major Marvel hero who’s already established.
4Halle Berry’s Storm
Halle Berry’s Storm Never Became The Goddess She Should Have Been
Although she had more to do than the likes of James Marsden’s Cyclops, Halle Berry’s Storm was also never as powerful and central as she should have been in Fox’sX-Menfranchise. In Marvel Comics, Storm is perhaps the closest thing to a literal goddess, but Berry was never given the opportunity to fully embrace this side of the character.Storm is one of my personal favorite X-Men characters from the comics, so I consider it a massive shame that she was never utilized properly in Fox’s franchise.
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Halle Berry’s possible return in the MCU’s future could thankfully change this.Berry is a remarkably talented actor who certainly has the skillset to deliver a hugely impactful performance as Storm - she came close inX-Men: Days of Future Past, but was killed off. As the first major female character of African descent in any American comic book, Storm is one of the most significant superheroes in history. I am desperate to see this gravitas and weight brought toStorm in the MCU.
3Evan Peters' Quicksilver
I Want To See Evan Peters’ Quicksilver Back In Action
I thought Aaron Taylor-Johnson did a solid job of debutingPietro Maximoff’s Quicksilver in the MCUback in 2015’sAvengers: Age of Ultron. However,Evan Peters' depiction of the speeding mutant, although not as comic-accurate, was far stronger, so I would love to see him bring his version of the character into the MCU permanently. This could cause some confusion given Peters' Quicksilver’s connection to Magneto, and the absence of Wanda Maximoff’s Scarlet Witch, but this exciting mutant should be revived.
This almost happened in 2021’sWandaVision, asEvan Peters seemed to be bringing Quicksilver into the MCU as the first sign of Fox’sX-Menfranchise and the MCU being brought together. This was ultimately revealed to be a ruse, with Peters actually portraying actor Ralph Bohner. Adeleted scene fromWandaVisionrevealed him to be Jimmy Woo’s missing witness, however, meaning his true nature in the MCU is still a mystery. I would love for this to be explained as him actually being Quicksilver, but only time will tell.
2Ian McKellen & Michael Fassbender’s Magneto
Ian McKellen & Michael Fassbender Both Excelled As Magneto
Of course, I want to seeMagneto in the MCU. As one of Marvel’s most powerful and complex villains, antiheroes and heroes, Magneto would be a very exciting addition to the MCU. However, I can’t pick between Ian McKellen and Michael Fassbender’s portrayals of the iconic Master of Magnetism, so I would love to see them both reprise their roles for different reasons.It would be brilliant to see McKellen reunite with Patrick Stewart to bid a final farewell to their originalX-Menfrenemies, but Fassbender might have a brighter future in the MCU.
Michael Fassbender brought all his passion, emotion and screen presence to his version of Erik Lehnsherr’s Magneto in Fox’s revisedX-Mentimeline.He contributed to some of the film series' most intense and moving moments, and I would love to see this energy and power brought into the MCU. In fact, I think Michael Fassbender would work as theMCU’s official iteration of Magneto, portraying an older and more hardened version than he did over at Fox, so it would be brilliant to see him return.
The MCU’s X-Men Magneto Recast Can Break An Important 24-Year Marvel Casting Trend
Marvel Studios' casting for the iconic X-Men villain, Magneto, needs to take into account his important heritage and backstory from Marvel Comics.
1Patrick Stewart’s Professor X
Patrick Stewart’s Return As Professor X Could Finally Show Us The Westchester Incident
Similarly, both Patrick Stewart and James McAvoy did a wonderful job at bringing Charles Xavier’s Professor X to life, but I want to see Stewart’s original version of the X-Men leader return for one clear reason.Deadpool & Wolverinewas seemingly set in 2024 on Earth-10005, five years before the events ofLogan, which marked Charles Xavier’s deathand revealed one of his destructive seizures had killed the X-Men. IfPatrick Stewart returns as Professor Xduring this five-year period, the never-before-seen Westchester Incident can finally be detailed on-screen.
Wolverine’s Best Movie Was Right To Leave Out The Most Shocking X-Men Movie Ever
The horrific Westchester Incident is only referenced in Logan, but the film nearly depicted it as its opening scene according to James Mangold.
This would be a tragic, emotional and significant way for Fox’s original X-Men team to be removed from the board, allowing Marvel Studios to easily recast the characters without the Earth-10005 variants getting in the way.Patrick Stewart previously claimed he was retiring from the role inLogan, but he returned as aProfessor X variant inDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and was speculated to appear inDeadpool & Wolverine. Since this didn’t come to fruition, the opportunity is still there for Patrick Stewart to explore one of Professor X’s most heartbreaking stories in live-action.
Cast
A follow-up to the highly successful Deadpool and Deadpool 2 films starring Ryan Reynolds as the Merc with a Mouth. The third film will be the first in the franchise to be developed under the Marvel Studios banner following Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox.
