Deadpool & Wolverineis dipping into the well of Marvel villains to bring out Cassandra Nova as its main antagonist, but according toRyan Reynoldsthe movie could have featured a villain that fans have expected to see in every project of the last several years. From early on in Phase 4 – and even slightly before that, while Thanos was still looming large over the franchise – fans have taken every opportunity to try and wishMephistointo the MCU. It seems that could have happened inDeadpool & Wolverine.
Mephisto is essentially Marvel Comics’ version of the Devil, and has been a popular villain since his first appearance in 1968’sSilver Surfer #3. As well as facing off against Ghost Rider and Silver Surfer, Mephisto has also been a constant antagonist of Spider-Man, and has also made his mark on the lives of Doctor Strange, Scarlet Witch, Doctor Doom, and many more. On screen, the character made a notable appearance in Nicolas Cage movieGhost Rider, played by Peter Fonda, and reappeared in the sequel, this time played by Ciaran Hinds.
Deadpool & Wolverine
A follow-up to the highly successful Deadpool and Deadpool 2 films starring Ryan Reynolds as the Merc with a Mouth. The third film will be the first in the franchise to be developed under the Marvel Studios banner following Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox.
Now it seems that fans waiting for the character to finally drop in on the Marvel Cinematic Universe were closer than ever with a plan to include him inReynolds’ latest Deadpool outing. While speaking withCollider, Reynolds and director Shawn Levy addressed the near-miss for Mephisto’s MCU debut. After Reynolds confirmed that they “flirted” with bringing the demon into the story, Levy explained:
“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].”
Deadpool & Wolverine was Probably Not the Best Place for Mephisto
Although finally bringing the demon to screens would have pleased many fans, the inclusion of Mephisto in Deadpool’s crowded multiverse adventure could have ended up being the same poisoned chalice that the likes ofReed Richards appearing inMultiverse of Madnessturned out to be. The character is one of the most powerful beings in the Marvel Comics universe, and many have already cited him as a candidate to be a future “big bad” of his own “saga.” The question is, where could that possibly be?
While the Multiverse Saga still has almost three years still to play out, Kevin Feige has also teased that this will be followed by the Mutant Saga. It is clear that Marvel’s future is looking much less crowded than it did a few years ago, with fewer movies and TV shows being released, and multiple branching arms of the franchise that may never truly cross paths. From the supernatural characters such as Moon Knight, to street-level vigilantes like Daredevil, the question of where and when an all-powerful being like Mephisto would appear is one that could give any comic book fan sleepless nights. There have been rumors that the character will bethe villain in the long-delayedIronheartseries, played byBoratstar Sacha Baron Cohen, but it seems like a disservice to such a mighty character to become the main foe in a Disney+ series rather than in an overarching storyline.
Who Is Mephisto in Marvel and What Is He Known For, Explained
Mephisto is one of the most powerful Marvel villains, and he has been rumored to join the MCU since Phase 4. Here’s everything you need to know.
Of course, Mephisto also has a lot of other villains to compete for attention with as well. Galactus will finally make his debut inFantastic Four, the issues with Kang are still to be resolved, and then there are characters such as Doctor Doom also yet to feature in the story. All in all, it may have been best forDeadpool & Wolverineto abandon their use of Mephisto, and for Marvel Studios to continue to bide their time until they find a suitable, worthy project for him to appear in.
