Channing Tatum’s Gambit, Wesley Snipes’ Blade, Chris Evans’ Human Torch — Deadpool & Wolverine could not have been more fan-pleasing in the cameo department, right? Actually, yes. Without such pesky things as scheduling, budgets, and actor availability coming into play, the blockbuster threequel could have offered even more thrills for those of us with an unhealthy adoration for mid-aughts superhero cinema.
As originally intended, in a very early stage of development, Wade Wilson and Logan’s big fight against the Deadpool Corps was meant to look much different. Instead of taking place in a random, overlit street on Earth-10005 (aka the Fox universe), it would’ve happened in the moody, atmospheric environs of the Void. Plus, it nearly featured the Others, too — alongside a couple of very special friends not featured in the finished film.
Deadpool & Wolverine‘s original ending would’ve been even more daring than what we got
Thanks to visual development artist Rodney Fuentebella, we have a taste of how Deadpool & Wolverine‘s ending could’ve looked, in a magical world where everything came together. Fuentebella took to Instagram to share a sneak peek at something we can get a better look at in the upcoming Art of the Movie tie-in book — releasing on Oct. 29 — and it really is the stuff of fans’ dizziest daydreams.
In Fuentebella’s concept art, Wade, Wolvie, Elektra, and Blade battle the army of Deadpool variants, alongside a couple of familiar yet surprising figures. Namely, Ben Affleck’s Daredevil and Nicolas Cage’s Ghost Rider! In his caption, the artist noted “how epic and awesome” he thought this scene could’ve been as it was originally conceived. We didn’t think we could be disappointed with the line-up of cameos in Deadpool 3, but now that we know how close we came to the Mount Olympus of Marvel multiverse team-ups, it kinda hurts.
As one overexcited fan noted, they “would have died on the spot” had this happened on the big screen. Maybe it’s for the best the cameos were nixed, then, as multiplexes up and down the country might’ve otherwise become mausoleums.
This isn’t the first time we’ve heard that Ghost Rider could’ve joined the party. Ryan Reynolds previously admitted he ideally wanted Cage in his movie, but it sadly wasn’t to be. Rumors had always abounded that Ben Affleck could show up as Daredevil, so it’s vindicating to find out this was, at one point, the plan. As it is, the only presence the Affleck Daredevil (Darefleck?) gets in the film is a hilarious meta-reference to his and Jennifer Garner’s divorce. Imagine what Reynolds could’ve cooked up if Affleck actually appeared. You know J-Lo would’ve been mentioned.
The good news is the door is still not closed forever on both Affleck and Cage making an MCU appearance. Avengers: Secret Wars has got its work cut out for it to go even bigger than Deadpool 3 with its surprise inclusions, but getting those two back would help it on its way. Then again, Affleck may have been burned too many times by the superhero genre to want to return. Cage, however, fresh off finally playing Superman in The Flash and starring in a live-action Spider-Man Noir TV show, would no doubt jump at the chance to go ghost again.
