Summary
- Ryan Reynolds joins the MCU in Phase 5’s Deadpool & Wolverine, along with other confirmed actors from the X-Men franchise.
- Deadpool & Wolverine has many familiar faces who reprize their roles in its cast.
- The movie also features some major cameos from figures audiences may not have expected to see in the story.
Ryan Reynolds joins the MCU in Phase 5’s Deadpool & Wolverine, along with a few actors who have already been confirmed to be making appearances. Reynolds was quickly confirmed to be making the move from Fox’s X-Men franchise to Marvel Studios following Disney’s acquisition of Fox in 2019. The actor’s version of Merc with a Mouth was a fan-favorite character in Fox’s superhero universe and a constant success story while the other projects in the franchise were faltering, so his debut in the MCU’s Phase 5 is a highly-anticipated addition to Marvel Studios’ franchise.
Deadpool & Wolverine sees the heroes crossing realities thanks to the TVA, which leads to a broad range of figures appearing throughout its runtime. As well as a couple of MCU newcomers, several actors from Fox’s X-Men and Deadpool universe appear in the movie, allowing plenty of dormant roles to be reprized. Similarly, the selection of cameos in Deadpool & Wolverine bring some surprising faces into its cast, enhancing the story and providing audiences with a lot of fun moments.
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29 Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson aka Deadpool
Ryan Reynolds and Deadpool have become synonymous, especially since the latter wouldn’t exist in live-action without the persistence and dedication of Reynolds. Reynolds became interested in the role after the Marvel Comics character referred to his own appearance as “Ryan Reynolds crossed with a Shar-Pei.” After debuting as a version of Deadpool in 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Reynolds set to work on adapting a more comic-accurate iteration of the character. He portrayed the mutant Wade Wilson in 2016’s Deadpool and 2018’s Deadpool 2, and was working on an X-Force film with Josh Brolin as Cable, which was canceled after Marvel Studios acquired the character.
Much like the previous Deadpool films, Reynolds was incredibly hands-on in the production of Deadpool & Wolverine. The actor worked closely with Marvel to develop the screenplay, and met with potential writers including Bob’s Burgers writers Wendy Molyneux and Lizzie Molyneux-Logelin, although original Deadpool writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick were eventually chosen to rewrite the script. Keeping Deadpool & Wolverine R-rated – Marvel Studios’ first R-rated project – allows Reynolds to bring his full comedic range to the MCU, bringing the actor into the franchise with a bang.
28 Hugh Jackman as Logan aka Wolverine
On September 27, 2022, Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman released a video announcing Jackman’s return as James “Logan” Howlett, a.k.a. Wolverine, in Deadpool & Wolverine. Jackman originally portrayed Fox’s Wolverine in eight films over seventeen years, finally retiring the role in 2017’s Logan, which was billed as Jackman’s final adventure in the X-Men franchise. After Kevin Feige revealed the upcoming Avengers: Secret Wars, there was speculation that Jackman would return as Wolverine in the multiversal adventure, but the confirmation of his return in Deadpool 3 is much more exciting, as he will perform opposite this version of Reynolds’ Deadpool for the first time on the big screen.
Hugh Jackman’s involvement in Deadpool & Wolverine meant that Deadpool’s relentless jokes about his relationship with Wolverine could finally be paid off, and the entertaining dynamic between a character who is gruff and stoic and one who is constantly talking could be explored on the big screen. The Wolverine that Hugh Jackman plays in Deadpool & Wolverine is notably a different one to the one who appears in Logan, meaning both that this iteration is characterized slightly differently, and that audiences don’t need to have watched the Fox film to understand its MCU successor.
27 Morena Baccarin as Vanessa
Following appearances in both Deadpool and Deadpool 2, it was unclear if Morena Baccarin would reprise her role of Vanessa Carlysle in the MCU’s Deadpool 3. The opening moments of Deadpool 2 saw the character killed, motivating Wade Wilson to join the X-Men and save Julian Dennsion’s Russell Collins, a.k.a. Firefist. However, Vanessa was revived thanks to Cable’s time-travel technology in the film’s post-credits scenes, and in April 2023, it was confirmed that Baccarin would be returning to the Deadpool franchise for his inaugural Marvel Studios adventure, which in many ways focuses around their relationship.
26 Stefan Kapičić as Colossus
Stefan Kapičić also reprises his role of Colossus in Deadpool 3, a role he took over from Donald MacKinnon from previous films in Fox’s X-Men franchise. Colossus is the third confirmed mutant character to be appearing in Deadpool 3, after Deadpool himself and Wolverine, which makes the prospect of the X-Men in the MCU even more exciting, particularly since Colossus is an active member of the superhero team. Colossus’ mutations allow him to transform into a metallic form, though his human form has never been seen in the Deadpool franchise.
25 Brianna Hildebrand as Negasonic Teenage Warhead
Brianna Hildebrand debuted as Negasonic Teenage Warhead in 2016’s Deadpool, a young member of the X-Men who has the ability to generate atomic blasts from her body. Though it was initially unclear whether Hildebrand would be reprising the role for Deadpool 3, her official casting announcement finally came in May 2023.
In the Deadpool franchise, Deadpool and Negasonic Teenage Warhead’s chemistry is brilliant, so having the character return was a wise movie for the third release. Outside the Deadpool films, Hildebrand is best known for roles in Lucifer and the 2017 series, The Exorcist.
24 Shioli Kutsuna as Yukio
Alongside Brianna Hildebrand, Shioli Kutsuna was also confirmed to be returning in Deadpool 3 in May 2023, after portraying Yukio in Deadpool 2. Yukio is Negasonic Teenage Warhead’s girlfriend and fellow X-Man, with her mutation granting her the ability to control electricity. A version of Yukio had previously been portrayed by Rila Fukushima in The Wolverine, but Kutsuna’s iteration is wildly different. After appearing in a number of Japanese films, Kutsuna went on to have roles in projects such as The Outsider, Murder Mystery, and Invasion on AppleTV+.
23 Leslie Uggams as Blind Al
Leslie Uggams was confirmed to be reprising her role of Blind Al from the previous Deadpool films on March 29, 2023. Blind Al became Deadpool’s roommate after providing him with advice on how to wash blood out of his costume, and inspiring his decision to design his iconic red suit. Uggams provided previous Deadpool films with some of their best jokes, and continues to show her comedic talents in Deadpool & Wolverine.
22 Karan Soni as Dopinder
Karan Soni was also confirmed to be appearing in Deadpool 3 on March 29, 2023, reprising his role of Dopinder, everyone’s favorite cab driver who routinely ferries Deadpool from mission to mission. Deadpool 3 will be only one of Karan Soni’s recent adventures into the multiverse, as he voiced Pavitr Prabhakar, a.k.a. Spider-Man: India, in Sony’s animated Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.
21 Rob Delaney as Peter
May 2023 also saw Rob Delaney confirmed to be returning for Deadpool 3. Delaney previously portrayed Peter, a human member of Deadpool’s X-Force, in Deadpool 2. Peter originally died in Deadpool 2, but Wade Wilson’s time traveling in the film’s post-credits scenes saw him restored, allowing him to reprise the hilarious role in 2024’s Deadpool 3. Best known as a stand-up comedian, Delaney has had acting roles in projects including The Hustle, Catastrophe, The School for Good and Evil, and The Man Who Fell to Earth. Delaney also appeared as Mac in the recent Black Mirror episode “Joan Is Awful.”
20 Emma Corrin as Cassandra Nova
English actor Emma Corrin was cast in Deadpool & Wolverine on February 14, 2023, in an initially undisclosed role that was later revealed to be Cassandra Nova, Charles Xavier’s twin sister and a lifelong Marvel villain. The actor’s version of the character shares this backstory, only tweaking some details as this iteration of Cassandra is revealed to have spent more of her life in the Void. Corrin’s previous roles include Marion Taylor in My Policeman and Diana, Princess of Wales in Netflix’s The Crown, which earned them a Golden Globe, Critic’s Choice Award, and a number of other nominations.
19 Matthew Macfadyen as Paradox
It was reported on March 28, 2023, that Matthew Macfadyen had joined the cast of Deadpool & Wolverine in an undisclosed role. English actor Macfadyen rose to stardom after appearing as Mr. Darcy in 2005’s Pride & Prejudice, but has also had major roles in Death at a Funeral, Frost/Nixon, Spooks, and HBO’s Succession.
Macfadyen takes on the role of Paradox, an official within the TVA who seeks to simplify the multiverse, and attempts to recruit Deadpool in order to do so. The role utilizes the actor’s capacity to convey emotion as well as his comedic talents, and effectively makes the character into a complicated multiversal villain that suits the Multiverse Saga perfectly.
18 Lewis Tan as Shatterstar
Lewis Tan’s Shatterstar returns in Deadpool & Wolverine, as initially confirmed by the movie’s first trailer. Seen alongside many of Deadpool’s friends and family at Wade Wilson’s birthday party, Shatterstar’s presence confirms Wade’s time travel efforts at the end of Deadpool 2 were a success and that X-Force was saved from their grisly deaths. Tan is best known for his leading role in Mortal Kombat as Cole Young, Shadow and Bone, and Into The Badlands.
17 Randall Reeder as Buck
Randall Reeder’s Buck returns as another one of Wade’s birthday party guests. Having appeared in both of the previous Deadpool films, Buck was featured as a frequent patron of Sister Margaret’s School for Wayward Children, the bar and dispatch center for mercenaries. Beyond the Deadpool franchise, Reeder is best known for his roles in 21 Jump Street, For Whom He Tolls, and Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay.
16 Aaron Standford as Pyro
Aaron Stanford also returned in the movie as Pyro, which was initially confirmed by Deadpool & Wolverine’s first trailer. Pyro shows up in the MCU’s Void in the movie, but first appeared in Fox’s X2 and X-Men: The Last Stand, having left Charles Xavier’s School in favor of Magneto’s Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. Stanford is also known for his roles in 12 Monkeys, The Hills Have Eyes, and Nikita.
15 Jon Favreau As Happy Hogan
One of the forefathers of the MCU also reprized his role in the franchise in Deadpool & Wolverine, as Favreau once again appeared as Happy Hogan following 10 prior appearances in the Marvel timeline. In the film, Deadpool meets with Happy Hogan to see about potentially getting a role in the Avengers, with Hogan instead recommending Wade aim for something more manageable. Since the movie doesn’t feature the cast of the MCU in a major capacity for the most part, this works effectively to show Deadpool interacting with key figures in Marvel’s main movie timeline.
14 Tyler Mane As Sabretooth
Having last appeared in the original X-Men movie, Tyler Mane returns 24 years later to take on the role of Sabretooth once more. As the Deadpool & Wolverine trailer featuring the character previously teased, the film sees Wolverine and Sabretooth duke it out again after decades of their rivalry being unaddressed on the big screen. While Sabretooth isn’t a main character in the story, his appearance another welcome nod to the Fox movie landscape, and lets audiences see a Wolverine rematch they perhaps thought would never happen.
13 Henry Cavill As A Wolverine Variant
Perhaps the most surprising cameo in all of Deadpool & Wolverine shows DCEU Superman actor Henry Cavill as one of a series of Wolverine variants. While the nature of this sequence – which flips through a series of alternate universes in quick succession – doesn’t show this version of Wolverine for very long, it’s certainly a moment that’s sure to have stuck with viewers, especially since Cavill has been such a popular fancast for the MCU’s Logan, and these hopes have only increased after the end of the DCEU itself.
12 Chris Evans As Johnny Storm
The prospective returns of Chris Evans as Captain America and Robert Donwey Jr as Iron Man have been at the forefront of questions about the MCU whenever they arise. As such, the appearance of Evans in Deadpool & Wolverine is a colossal reveal that the movie unveils relatively early on in its run, and one which carries a lot of implications for the franchise both in-universe and in real life.
However, it’s worth noting that Chris Evans returns here as not Steve Rogers but rather Johnny Storm, also known as the Human Torch, reprising the role from the 2005 and 2007 Fantastic Four movies after he and seemingly his family were sent to the Void. As such, the movie is able to give the actor different kinds of comedic moments that better suit the Deadpool tone without risking sabotaging Rogers’ on-screen legacy, which works best for the movie, for the MCU, and for Evans’ performance as well, as it lets him lean into a character who is quite different to Captain America in a lot of ways.
11 Jennifer Garner As Elektra
Garner appearing in Deadpool & Wolverine as Elektra was floated far before her casting was confirmed. The multiversal concept of the movie – and the idea it would fold in prior film releases – almost immediately raised the possibility that the actor could return and be able to show her talents in the role further.
This proved a particularly hopeful concept given the 2005 Elektra movie didn’t see a stellar reception, with the July 2023 confirmation Jennifer Garner would be Elektra in the then-upcoming release thus raising some considerable excitement. Mercifully, this hype is paid off by the character and her desire for a “good ending”, which sees her lend support to Deadpool and the plan to save his home universe.
10 Dafne Keen As X-23
Dafne Keen’s return as X-23 – also known as Laura – in Deadpool & Wolverine was released just days prior to the movie’s cinematic debut, and caused the excitement for the film to reach new heights. As Wolverine’s adoptive daughter and the other main protagonist of Logan, Laura’s story continuing into the MCU movie is naturally a huge deal, especially since it gets to show off what an older version of X-23 is like, and reveal more of her fighting prowess.
