‘X-Force’ Filmmakers Still Deciding Which Characters Will Be in the Movie

Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds, X-Men producer Simon Kinberg and X-Force writer-director Drew Goddard have yet to determine a roster for the planned X-verse spinoff, Kinberg tells EW.

“Drew, Ryan, and I sat down and talked quite a bit about what X-Force would be, but we haven’t on settled who those characters are yet,” Kinberg said. “But certainly we’d want Cable and Domino to be part of it.”

Deadpool 2 introduces the pair of mutants by way of series newcomers Josh Brolin and Zazie Beetz, who proved so popular in test screenings the sequel utilized its reshoots to add more scenes for both characters.

Reynolds will executive produce the X-Force solo, itself spinning out of Deadpool 2.

The sequel introduces the team of mutants — and regular guy Peter (Rob Delaney) — as a ragtag group assembled by ‘Pool and pal Weasel (T.J. Miller), bringing together Bedlam (Terry Crews), Shatterstar (Lewis Tan), Zeitgest (Bill Skarsgard), and Shioli Kutsuna in an unidentified role that may be Surge.

Goddard, who served as writer and producer on Lost and Marvel/Netflix productions Daredevil and The Defenders, will team with DP2 producers Reynolds, Kinberg and Lauren Shuler Donner to give the black-ops team of mutants their own movie as one of the three annual X-verse movies planned by studio 20th Century Fox despite the looming finalization of Disney’s $52.4 billion dollar buyout.

DP2 acts as a sort of backdoor pilot for X-Force, in the same manner Spider-Man and Black Panther debuted in Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Civil War before receiving their own movies.

X-Force creator Rob Liefeld told Fandango the live-action takes on his creations could be “an R-rated Avengers in the making,” saying the team can “absolutely rival” Marvel’s flagship franchise.

“You can see where Fox is building up a roster that rivals what happened over with the Avengers. They built up piece by piece this impressive group of personalities, and actors, and talent that people just responded to,” Liefeld said.

He continued: “I’ve seen more than the average Joe has seen, but I see how well it clicks, and I think that when you throw the R-rating in there, the X-Force can absolutely rival the Avengers. X-Force is not family friendly, and that matters, too. I definitely do see them building their version of the Avengers with this.”

Deadpool 2 opens May 18.