Will Josh Brolin Play Cable AND Stryfe?

The question of who will play Cable in Deadpool 2 and the larger X-Men movie universe has been answered: and it is none other than Avengers: Infinity War star, Josh Brolin!

That casting only expands Brolin’s comic book resume, which includes iconic characters like Thanos, Jonah Hex, Sin City‘s Dwight, and Agent K in Men In Black. However, with this Cable casting, there is a unique opportunity for a two-for-one role. As Marvel fans know, Cable is a character who comes with a dark shadow: his nefarious “brother” Stryfe.

So, the question at hand is: Is Josh Brolin playing Cable AND Stryfe in the X-Men Movie Universe?

Who Is Stryfe?

The history of X-Men’s Cable is long and convoluted – making Stryfe’s history just as convoluted.

In the comics, Cable was born to Cyclops and a clone of Jean Grey, but he was soon after infected by the villain Apocalypse with a techno-organic virus that threatened to kill him. To save Cable, Cyclops sends him into the future with a clan of warriors that can save his life. Those warriors do indeed save the child’s life, but as an insurance policy, they created a healthy clone of the Cable, with all of his extensive psychic powers intact.

Apocalypse attacked the warriors’ stronghold, and stole the child away, to use as a vessel for Apocalypse to inhabit. Cyclops, Jean Grey and a young Cable attack the transfer process, which ultimately fails because Apocalypse can’t inhabit the clone body; however, since the clone was raised under Apocalypse’s tutelage, he turns out evil. Upon adulthood, he adopts the identity of “Stryfe” and launches a campaign of terrorism across the future world, and eventually, in the present day timeline, as well.

Stryfe was responsible for several big events in X-Men canon, including nearly assassinating Professor X, creating the Legacy virus that threatened to kill millions, and waging a time-travel with characters like Cable and Bishop. 

So how might the character fit into the X-Men Movie Universe? Lets Discuss. 

NEXT: How Stryfe Can Fit in X-Men Movies 

Stryfe in X-Men Movies

Cable is set to make his debut in Deadpool 2, but we still don’t know many details about how his origin will be adapted for the X-Men movies. Without knowing that, it’s hard to predict if/how Stryfe would also be brought into the fold. 

In the comics, Cable didn’t actually know that Stryfe was his clone/twin, until Stryfe framed Cable for the attempted assassination of Prof. X. The X-Men movies could have a lot of fun with that sort of mystery and eventual reveal, by giving fans credit scene teasers of Brolin’s “Cable” suddenly doing bad things, leading up to the eventual reveal that it’s actually Stryfe, in Cable-face. 

With the way the X-Men mythology is going there is already plenty of room for Cable and Stryfe’s time travel drama to exist; and now there’s room for Apocalypse to take his place, as well (a different incarnation, not that lackluster Oscar Isaac version). Most X-Men fans probably want to see Deadpool 2 introduce Cable, Domino, and the beginnings of X-Force; after that, a good choice might be to adapt the “X-Cutioner’s Song” crossover story, which would be an exciting way  to unite various projects into one film – such as the next phase of X-Men movie characters, and spinoffs like X-Force and New Mutants. 

Another possibility would be adapting the “Messiah War” storyline, which saw Cable coming to the present to obtain Hope Summers, the first mutant born after mutantkind was nearly wiped out by Scarlett Witch. Cable is hunted by factions of the X-Men, fellow time-traveler Bishop, and forces of both Mister Sinister and Stryfe. In short: It’s a simple premise that snares together a lot of big X-Men characters, and would be a choice way to get Stryfe into the mix. 

NEXT PAGE: Fun for Brolin

Fun For Brolin

However Stryfe gets introduced to the X-Men movie universe, it should be done if for no other reason than it would be a lot of fun for Josh Brolin to play both roles, and he’d definitely be good at it. 

There’s little doubt that Brolin’s trademark gruff, stone-jawed demeanour made him an attractive candidate to play Cable; however, the actor is pretty dynamic (and even funny) when playing characters that are a llittle more zany. He’ll get a chance to chew scenery as “The Mad Titan” Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War, but Stryfe is on a whole other level of dramatic megalomaina (see: the elaborate helmet and flamboyant red cape). 

And, while many modern superhero movies feature villains who are “dark reflections” of the hero, we have yet to see one where the villain is actually a clone of the hero. The scenes where Josh Brolin’s Cable is standing face-to-face with Josh Brolin’s Stryfe would be priceless.

More Cable

How about it, X-Men movies fans? Do you want to see Josh Brolin playing Stryfe alongside his Cable role? Discuss with us on Twitter @Comicbook! 

David Leitch (John Wick) will direct the Deadpool 2, taking over for original director Tim Miller. Fox will reportedly begin production on the film this June.

Deadpool 2 is currently ranked fourth in ComicBook.com Anticipation Rankings among all scheduled comic book movies. Fans have awarded the upcoming film a 4.22/5 rating.

MORE DEADPOOL 2:

• Josh Brolin Cast as Cable 
• Writers Explain The Cable And Wade Dynamic
• Deadpool’s Colossus Reveals Which X-Men Property He’d Like To Appear In
• Here’s What Josh Brolin Could Look Like as Cable
• Here’s What Zazie Beetz Could Look Like As Domino