Deadpool & Wolverine Considered Having Mephisto as Its Major Villain

Marvel fans were pretty close to seeing Mephisto on the big screen in Deadpool & Wolverine. Marvel’s resident devil was a big point of interest in WandaVision, with several fan theories speculating that Mephisto was the show’s big bad in disguise. However, that turned out to be Agatha Harkness, who is headlining a spinoff show. As for Deadpool & Wolverine, it appears to creative team landed on Charles Xavier’s twin sister Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin) as its villain to counter the reunited Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman as Wade Wilson and Logan, respectively. Though as we just learned, Deadpool & Wolverine was heavily considering Mephisto instead of Cassandra Nova.

Collider spoke to Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy and stars Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, where they were asked if they could put one villain in the movie that they didn’t get to include, who would it be? “What was the name of the villain we flirted with?” Shawn Levy asked out loud. “Mephisto,” Ryan Reynolds responded. 

Levy continued, “That’s who it was. We went through a lot of ‘almost’ versions of this story before we landed. Frankly, it was the infamous call from Hugh, but then it was this idea of Cassandra Nova as a sibling to Charles because Cassandra’s link to Professor X creates an interesting dynamic and fascination in Cassandra about you [to Jackman].”

The new bit of rumor mill speculation is that Sacha Baron Cohen will be playing Mephisto in the Ironheart Disney+ series slated for release in 2025.

Ryan Reynolds settles Taylor Swift speculation for Deadpool & Wolverine

Even though it had already been reported that Deadpool & Wolverine wouldn’t have a secret cameo by Taylor Swift, Ryan Reynolds felt the need to end the ongoing speculation. “I will say once and for all that the cameo thing with Taylor… because she’s our friend—that is not in this film,” Ryan Reynolds told E! News.

Reynolds was sure to give Taylor Swift her flowers though, saying the music mega-star deserves to do more in Deadpool 3 than just make a cameo: she deserves the whole damn franchise. “I always do say that if anyone ever were to take over the role of Deadpool, actually Taylor would be very good,” Reynolds added. “Because that’s a superpower that I don’t know that she shows everyone too often: She’s one of the funniest people I’ve ever met.”

What is Deadpool & Wolverine about?

In Marvel Studios’ Deadpool & Wolverine, Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) will change the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Wolverine (Hugh Jackman). The film also stars Matthew Macfadyen as Paradox, and Emma Corrin as Cassandra Nova, with the return of Deadpool alums Morena Baccarin as Vanessa Carlysle, Leslie Uggams as Blind Al, Karan Soni as Dopinder, Stefan Kapičić as Piotr Rasputin/Colossus, Brianna Hildebrand as Negasonic Teenage Warhead, Rob Delaney as Peter, and Lewis Tan as Shatterstar. Aaron Stanford is returning as Pyro from the X-Men film series, with Jennifer Garner rumored to return as Elektra Natchios. 

Kevin Feige, Ryan Reynolds, Shawn Levy and Lauren Shuler Donner produce with Louis D’Esposito, Wendy Jacobson, Mary McLaglen, Josh McLaglen, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, George Dewey and Simon Kinberg serving as executive producers. Deadpool & Wolverine is written by Ryan Reynolds & Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick & Zeb Wells & Shawn Levy. Deadpool & Wolverine will be released exclusively in theaters on July 26th.