The MCU needs perfect casting choices for Deadpool and X-Men characters right now. Earth-10005 faces potential danger during the Multiverse Saga. Between 2000 and 2020, Fox’s X-Men franchise delivered 13 remarkable movies. These films showed what superhero movies could achieve and created a path that led to the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s soaring win.
Nine actors from Fox’s X-Men universe will return to play their roles or variations in the MCU. This sets up the foundation for mutants to make their official debut. Deadpool started as a character in 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine and grew into a franchise star with his own films in 2016 and 2018. Fans will see him next in Deadpool & Wolverine in 2024. Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine became a household name through these movies. Some perfect casting choices from the Fox era should carry forward their legacy into Marvel’s next phase.
Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool
Ryan Reynolds and Deadpool have a relationship that stands out from all other actor-character pairings in superhero cinema. Reynolds played Wade Wilson in 2009 and spent years trying to bring the authentic Deadpool to life. He described it as “the worst relationship I’ve ever been in: on-again, off-again, occasionally sleeping together, which just causes more pain”. His determination led to success when the first R-rated Deadpool film launched in 2016.
Why Reynolds is irreplaceable
Reynolds has become one with Deadpool because he gets the character completely. “I’ve been fortunate to sort of share a heartbeat with Deadpool, so I felt like I could channel the words of the character – they come pretty easily to me”. His commitment went beyond acting as he stepped up as a producer “to protect Deadpool, to protect the origin story of Deadpool and to protect the canon of Deadpool”.
This deep connection made Reynolds the perfect choice that helped him “give justice to the character”. He showed his talent through a full-body costume and adapted his performance style to be “more expressive with my hands and my legs and my hips, everything”. His style of irreverent comedy matches Deadpool’s personality perfectly.
Hints of Deadpool’s MCU future
Deadpool & Wolverine turned into a soaring win with over $1.34 billion globally. Reynolds has dropped hints about the character’s surprising future. “Deadpool’s a supporting character much more than he is a main [character],” Reynolds revealed, suggesting “if he comes back, it’s going to be in someone else’s movie”.
This strategy mirrors Tony Stark’s role in MCU Phase 3, where he showed up in several films without leading his own. All the same, the TVA’s interest in Deadpool points to “an important role to play in the future” of the MCU.
Deadpool’s multiverse potential
Deadpool’s self-awareness sets him apart for multiverse storytelling. His fourth-wall-breaking skills could be crucial in handling the chaos of the multiverse. “Deadpool approaches the multiverse in such a way that only he can, thriving on the sheer chaos inherent in such a storyline”.
In fact, his understanding of different realities could be a great asset for the TVA’s multiverse management. So Deadpool might become a key player in upcoming Multiverse Saga films, including Avengers: Secret Wars. His meta-awareness could help reshape the Marvel multiverse.
Lana Condor as Jubilee
Fans of the firework-wielding mutant were excited when Lana Condor was cast as Jubilee in 2016’s X-Men: Apocalypse. Their excitement turned to disappointment when most of her scenes were cut from the final film. This movie marked her first big screen appearance.
Jubilee’s missed potential in Fox films
Jubilee remains a fan-favorite character from the 1990s animated series. Fox’s X-Men universe never gave her proper screen time. The character appeared in four films with three different actresses. All but one of these appearances had no dialog in the final cuts. The plan for Apocalypse was to give Jubilee substantial screen time with Cyclops, Jean Gray, and Nightcrawler. She got roughly one minute instead. The mall sequence that showed her powers never made it to the final cut.
Why Condor deserves a second chance
Condor wants to come back to the role after her brief Apocalypse appearance. “I think that now is a really good time, and I would really like to do her justice, because she didn’t have it five years ago and I don’t think ever has,” she told The Wrap. She made her case to filmmakers at a Vanity Fair Oscar party saying, “Hey—don’t forget. Don’t sleep on her”.
Condor showed her acting talent in Netflix’s To All the Boys franchise. She proved she could handle a leading role. One fan said it well: “Condor was excellent as Jubilee and she did her best despite the little she was given”.
How Jubilee fits into the MCU’s younger team
The MCU plans to bring in mutants, and Jubilee offers a perfect chance to vary the lineup. She represents many underrepresented groups as both a teen girl character and one of the few prominent Asian American superheroes.
Her powers would look amazing on screen – she can generate pyrotechnic energy blasts. Jubilee could shine among the MCU’s next generation of heroes with her classic Jim Lee-designed yellow jacket and firecracker personality. Marvel could finally show her full potential that previous films missed.
Famke Janssen as Jean Gray
Famke Janssen gave Jean Gray an emotional depth that made the early X-Men films work. Her performance stands out as one of the best parts of the original trilogy. The A.V. Club praised her “high standard for psychological honesty” as she tackled complex X-Men lore.
Unresolved storylines from Dark Phoenix
Jean Gray’s story remains one of the most broken narratives in the Fox X-Men universe. Her dramatic sacrifice in X2 led to a Phoenix transformation in The Last Stand that had to compete with a mutant cure subplot. This left the iconic story without proper attention. “I know how important the Phoenix Saga is to the fans, and I don’t think it was addressed properly,” Janssen said. Writer Simon Kinberg later shared his regrets about turning what he called “the ultimate X-Men story” into a subplot, comparing it to cramming a Book of Genesis chapter into a minor plot point.
Janssen’s chemistry with other X-Men
Janssen showed both sides of Jean Gray brilliantly through the original trilogy. She played the wise, moral telepathic doctor and the powerful, vengeful Phoenix with equal skill. Her character’s love for Scott Summers mixed with her complex bond with Logan made for compelling drama. The film’s writers saw Jean’s character as a mix of “Greek goddess” mythology while staying “grounded in Freudian terms”. This mix created a rich character whose relationships with Xavier, Cyclops, and Wolverine became the heart of these films.
How Jean Gray could return in the multiverse
The timeline mess left by Days of Future Past and Dark Phoenix makes the multiverse a perfect way to fix Jean’s story. Sophie Turner took over the role in the prequel films, but Janssen might come back: “If someone asks me, I might call it a possibility”. The Marvel Cinematic Universe could use Janssen’s Jean Gray as a multiverse variant. She could explore what happened after the Phoenix saga or give fans the proper ending they’ve waited for. Her return would add weight to any MCU X-Men adaptation and honor one of the best performances from the original films.
James Marsden as Cyclops
James Marsden’s Cyclops faced the worst treatment among all characters in Fox’s X-Men franchise. Marvel’s quintessential mutant leader was pushed aside to make room for Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine. This became one of the biggest missed chances in superhero cinema.
Cyclops’ poor treatment in Fox films
The original trilogy reduced Cyclops to just “the other guy” in the X-Men’s famous love triangle instead of showing his leadership skills. These films completely missed Scott Summers’ essence by making him “a stick in the mud so everyone will laugh when Wolverine flips him off and steals his motorcycle”. X-Men: The Last Stand concluded this mistreatment when Marsden’s character died off-screen, leaving only floating glasses behind. Critics pointed out that “the X-Men movies never quite knew what to do with Cyclops”.
Marsden’s potential as a true team leader
Marsden’s performance received widespread acclaim as “praised throughout the world by fans and critics”. The actor shared his passion for the role: “I loved playing that character. It was one of the best parts of my career”. His talent could have matched Hugh Jackman’s franchise-leading presence with better material. His ability to make complex characters relatable—similar to Chris Evans’ portrayal of Captain America—remained untapped.
Reimagining Cyclops in the MCU
MCU’s upcoming introduction of mutants brings hope for a Cyclops who truly represents the brilliant tactician from the comics—a leader who “outsmarted the Avengers” and “taken down whole teams of X-Men while injured”. Disney+’s X-Men ’97 shows Marvel Studios’ understanding of Cyclops’ value by delivering “one of the best depictions of Scott Summers”. Marsden’s recent interest in returning to the role and excitement about seeing “Hugh in the full-on comic book costume” creates a perfect chance for the MCU to finally give both Cyclops and Marsden the spotlight they deserve.
Kodi Smit-McPhee as Nightcrawler
Kodi Smit-McPhee’s Nightcrawler emerges as a character with untapped potential among the younger cast of Fox’s X-Men universe. His portrayal of Kurt Wagner in X-Men: Apocalypse (2016) added a vulnerable yet compelling dimension to the teleporting mutant.
Nightcrawler’s evolution in the comics
Kurt Wagner has managed to keep a strong presence in Marvel comics as one of the most visually striking X-Men. His impressive abilities let him teleport up to two miles when conditions are right. He also has a prehensile tail strong enough to carry both his weight and an adult man. His hands and feet stick to surfaces for climbing, and his indigo-colored fur helps him become almost invisible in shadows.
Recent comic developments have changed Kurt’s origin story by a lot. Writers revealed that his parents are Mystique and her wife Destiny, with Mystique transforming into male form to conceive him. Kurt’s development shows him leading the X-Men several times and starring in limited series like Way of X and Uncanny Spider-Man.
Smit-McPhee’s growth as an actor
Smit-McPhee brings depth to Nightcrawler beyond surface-level acting. “I created a whole life for my character… in terms of his past, motives, and intentions”, he explains. His performance feels genuine because he channels his personal battle with ankylosing spondylitis, an autoimmune disease causing chronic pain, into his character work.
Smit-McPhee’s portrayal has grown from a “vulnerable, wide-eyed, inquisitive” Nightcrawler in Apocalypse to a “more well-versed and mature character” in Dark Phoenix. This mirrors his journey as an actor who started at age 8 and now explores philosophical and spiritual aspects of his craft.
Nightcrawler’s role in a modern X-Men team
Future Deadpool and X-Men movie fancasts could use Nightcrawler’s religious background as it contrasts with his demonic appearance. Smit-McPhee understands this duality and notes that Kurt takes “the demonic aggressive side of Nightcrawler that he tries to transform for goodness”.
Comics from the Krakoa era showed Nightcrawler’s versatility. He works well as “a morally driven supporting character,” “a leader for entire organizations,” or “a solo hero” all at once. These qualities are a great way to get both spiritual depth and tactical advantage through his unique teleportation abilities in the MCU.
Anna Paquin as Rogue
Anna Paquin’s portrayal of Rogue in the original X-Men trilogy stands out as one of the most controversial adaptations in superhero cinema. The character that should have dominated the screen ended up nowhere near her full potential, creating a huge disconnect between the source material and what viewers saw.
Rogue’s powers and personality in the comics
Comic book Rogue is nothing like the shy character we saw in the films. She’s a fierce, fun-loving Southern belle who never backs down from a fight. This confident personality helps her cope with the isolation her powers bring. She doesn’t just have the deadly touch that absorbs others’ abilities and memories. Comic Rogue also has permanent superhuman strength, flight, and near-invulnerability—powers she got after draining them from Carol Danvers. The absorption was so complete that Danvers fell into a coma and lost her powers. Rogue actually made her first appearance as a villain in 1981’s Avengers Annual #10, where she drained Ms. Marvel’s abilities permanently.
How the MCU can fix her portrayal
The Fox films missed the mark with Rogue completely. They turned her into “something of a damsel in distress who constantly needed rescuing”. Paquin didn’t hide her disappointment either: “I kind of find it ironic that I did three big action films and did, actually, no action whatsoever”. The MCU now has a chance to show Rogue as the powerhouse she really is—one of the strongest X-Men team members. Her journey from reluctant villain to hero could make for compelling storytelling that previous adaptations never explored.
A possible crossover with Captain Marvel
The MCU is a chance to dive into the famous rivalry between Rogue and Carol Danvers. Their bitter relationship ranks among the most notorious in comics, starting when Rogue’s power absorption left Carol in a coma. This story could work on many levels—it could establish Rogue as a force to be reckoned with, temporarily sideline the overpowered Captain Marvel, or spark conflict between the Avengers and X-Men. Their relationship eventually got better, and Rogue started asking permission before borrowing Carol’s powers—showing how much she’d grown as a character.
Halle Berry as Storm
Halle Berry played Storm in four X-Men films, but her portrayal of the weather-wielding mutant never matched the character’s true potential. Hollywood executives pulled a disappointing bait-and-switch move with one of Marvel’s most iconic heroines behind the scenes.
Storm’s legacy as a powerful mutant
Storm ranks among Marvel’s most powerful characters. She’s an Omega-level mutant who can control weather without limits. Ororo Munroe’s abilities go way beyond creating lightning and wind – she comes from a lineage of African witch-priestesses. She controls entire planetary weather systems and manipulates atmospheric pressure. She can even gather hydrogen atoms in space. Her emotions once sparked Earth’s atmosphere, which created a global aurora effect.
Storm’s powers extend past her weather control abilities. She shares a mystical bond with Earth and has incredible magical potential. Her impact as Marvel’s first Black female superhero team leader reaches far beyond her amazing powers.
Berry’s underused performance
Berry feels a deep personal connection to Storm. “Being a woman of color, I have often felt on the outside of things. I’ve often felt marginalized and overlooked and unseen, and that’s what the X-Men were all about,” she said about her role. Studio executives misled her about Storm’s importance in the films.
Former X-Men director Matthew Vaughn quit X-Men: The Last Stand after he learned something shocking. Executives had created a Storm-focused script just to get Berry on board, planning to throw it away once she signed. Berry found out about this deception years later and said: “Ya just never know the shady s—- going on behind ya back!”
Why Storm deserves a goddess-level return
Berry should get the chance to show Storm’s full potential in any dream deadpool and x-men movie lineup. She could portray the regal, powerful goddess who people once worshiped in Africa. Marvel Comics has raised Storm’s status even more lately – Eternity itself named her worthy to become the “Eternal Storm.”
Berry wants to return to the MCU and said she has her “fingers crossed” about showing up in Avengers: Secret Wars. The current multiverse storylines offer the perfect chance to showcase Storm’s true goddess-level powers through Berry’s seasoned performance.
Patrick Stewart as Professor X
Patrick Stewart’s portrayal of Charles Xavier stands out as the most emotionally layered performance in superhero cinema. His debut in 2000’s X-Men showed Xavier’s wisdom and moral strength, which helped establish comic book adaptations as serious filmmaking.
The Westchester Incident and Logan
Logan unveiled a devastating chapter in Xavier’s journey. The government classified his deteriorating mind as a “weapon of mass destruction”. The story referenced the tragic “Westchester Incident” where Xavier’s telepathic seizures accidentally killed several X-Men team members. This tragedy weighed heavily on both Xavier and Logan throughout the film. James Mangold initially thought about making this incident Logan’s opening scene but decided against it. His choice kept the story focused on character development instead of mythology, which let audiences feel the emotional impact without seeing it directly.
Stewart’s legacy and emotional depth
Stewart spent 17 years bringing Professor X to life, turning what could have been a simple mentor character into someone deeply complex. Logan showed us a 90-year-old Xavier struggling with a neurodegenerative disease that made his telepathic gifts dangerous and uncontrollable. Stewart described his final take on the character as “a very sweet character” despite Xavier’s physical weakness. His dignified performance added philosophical depth to the superhero genre. Stewart called the experience of ending this chapter “distinct and rewarding”.
A final farewell or multiverse mentor?
After Xavier’s moving death in Logan, Stewart returned as an alternate version in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, playing Earth-838’s Professor X. His yellow hoverchair and background music paid tribute to the beloved 1992 animated series. Stewart revealed in February 2023 that Marvel Studios asked him to “standby” for possible future appearances. The multiverse might create new opportunities for Stewart’s Xavier to return, either guiding the MCU’s future X-Men team or giving longtime fans more closure with this iconic interpretation.
Conclusion
The X-Men franchise has grown 20 years old, and some actors have brought their characters to life despite studio restrictions. Many characters got their due development, but others never had their moment to shine. So, this perfect deadpool and x-men movie fancast captures both nostalgic memories and missed opportunities.
Ryan Reynolds has without doubt become one with Deadpool, taking the character to new heights at the box office. His meta-awareness makes him perfect for multiverse navigation. He could support MCU projects of all sizes instead of leading his own. Patrick Stewart’s Professor X stands as the definitive version, and the multiverse lets his wisdom guide new heroes even after his powerful ending in Logan.
The strongest arguments come from actors who never got good material. James Marsden’s Cyclops needs a second chance after Wolverine took center stage. Anna Paquin could finally show Rogue’s true comic book powers and character. Famke Janssen’s Jean Gray deserves a proper Phoenix saga ending, and Halle Berry could reveal Storm’s goddess-level powers after executives chose to limit her role.
The newer cast members show promise too. Kodi Smit-McPhee’s Nightcrawler and Lana Condor’s Jubilee have barely scratched the surface of their potential. Both actors want to return, with Condor pushing to “do her justice” after X-Men: Apocalypse left her on the cutting room floor.
The multiverse concept offers the perfect way to bring these actors back without messing up previous timelines. Superhero stories thrive on redemption and second chances – themes that fit both the actors and their characters perfectly.
Marvel Studios will create its own path for mutants in the MCU. These actors built the foundation that made today’s superhero movies possible. Their return would celebrate that legacy and give fans closure for characters they’ve loved through decades of X-Men stories.
