Nothing is official at this point, but a new rumor indicates that the upcoming sequel to Deadpool might have an actor in mind for Cable, the title character’s longstanding enemy-turned-ally in the Marvel Comics universe.
Although there’s been no shortage of well-known actors campaigning to play the time-traveling soldier, the studio has reportedly been circling Bloodline and Zero Dark Thirty actor Kyle Chandler for the role of Cable. The unofficial report goes on to mention some other potential cast members — and their characters — for the sequel to this year’s R-rated blockbuster that cast Ryan Reynolds as the mouthy, irreverent mercenary.
Mashable movie reporter Jeff Sneider first reported Chandler’s potential involvement with the Deadpool sequel during the Meet the Movie Press podcast, and indicated that the actor’s name has been “floating around for Cable for months.” However, he added that the news should be taken with “a gigantic grain of salt” — suggesting that Chandler’s attachment to the role is far from official at this point.
Initially introduced as a character Deadpool is tasked with assassinating, Cable is a telekinetic, telepathic soldier from the future in the universe of Marvel Comics. A highly trained soldier who also possesses techno-organic implants that give him additional abilities while also keeping the disease ravaging his body at bay, Cable eventually became a reluctant ally of Deadpool, with the pair co-starring in a popular comic book series that ran for 50 issues.
Previously, Avatar star Stephen Lang campaigned heavily for the role, and both Hellboy star Ron Perlman and The Expendables actor Dolph Lundgren also expressed interest in playing Cable. However, Lang’s commitment to the upcoming Avatar sequels is likely to take him out of the running for the role.
Along with mentioning Chandler as a potential actor for Cable, Sneider also indicated that Deadpool studio 20th Century Fox is considering The Martian actress Mackenzie Davis for the role of Domino in the sequel.
Another mutant from Marvel Comics’ X-Men universe, Domino can subconsciously manipulate the world around her using telekinesis in order to make improbable things happen in her favor. This gives her a knack for avoiding bullets and anything else used to attack her, and the ability to pull off fantastic feats of agility and trick-shooting, among other helpful activities.
In describing Domino’s potential role in the Deadpool sequel, Sneider called her “the scene-stealer of the movie.”
The Deadpool sequel is expected to begin filming in 2017 with screenwriters Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick returning to pen the script and director Tim Miller also reprising his role behind the camera. Reynolds will return as the title character. The film will likely hit theaters in 2018, but no official release date has been announced at this point.