Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool Would’ve Played the Villain in Cancelled X-Force Film

An intriguing project that never saw the light of day was a standalone X-Force movie, to be helmed by director Jeff Wadlow (Kick-Ass 2). This film would have taken a daring approach by casting Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool not as the wisecracking hero but as the antagonist.

Wadlow’s concept for the X-Force film was to present a grittier side of the mutant experience, contrasting with the more privileged upbringing of the X-Men. “If X-Men is about mutants that get to go to private school, what about the mutants that get to go to public school?” he mused in an interview with Alex Zane on A Trip to the Movies. His script drew inspiration from the X-Men comics of the ’90s, with a focus on younger mutants such as Cannonball, Boom-Boom, Domino, Rictor, and Feral. This lineup starkly differed from the Deadpool 2 version of the X-Force, which featured older characters like Bedlam, Shatterstar, and Zeitgeist.

Wadlow’s vision placed the X-Force in a scenario reminiscent of the 1980s film Red Dawn, with the team on the run in West Texas. The twist, however, was Deadpool’s role as a secondary antagonist. Hired by an undisclosed main villain, Deadpool would be in pursuit of the X-Force, a nod to his villainous debut in the original comic run. Wadlow aimed to stay true to the character’s comic book appearance, envisioning him in motorcycle leathers and a red ballistic face mask.

“I wanted this antagonist chasing them the whole time. Deadpool was introduced as a villain in the original X-Force run, so I had our main villain hire a mercenary to [hunt] this group of ragtag villains down and the mercenary hired was Deadpool,” Wadlow shared. “He was in motorcycle leathers with this red ballistic face mask. I made it very clear he was going to look just like he did in the comic books.”

The Rise and Fall of the X-Force Film in the Wake of Deadpool’s Success

Despite not being part of the X-Force, Deadpool’s presence in the film was intended to be significant, described by Wadlow as a “grand cameo” or “supporting part.” He aimed to portray Deadpool as an antagonist who would ultimately be turned by the end of the film. Ryan Reynolds, who had already brought Deadpool to life in the 2016 blockbuster, was reportedly enthusiastic about Wadlow’s script.

However, the X-Force movie was shelved following the success of Deadpool and the eventual introduction of the team in Deadpool 2. Even as most X-Force members faced rapid deaths in the sequel, the standalone film concept endured until Disney’s purchase of 20th Century Fox concluded it. The X-Force’s status in the Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to be uncertain, despite Reynolds’ Deadpool’s upcoming role in Deadpool & Wolverine.

While fans may never see Wadlow’s vision come to fruition, the idea of a Deadpool-led X-Force film remains a fascinating “what if” in the annals of superhero movie history. The proposed blend of youthful mutants, a villainous Deadpool, and a story rooted in comic lore offers a glimpse into an alternate path for these beloved characters. As the Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to expand, one can only wonder if elements of this unrealized project will ever be resurrected in future adaptations.