Deadpool and Wolverine: Characters Who Didn’t Return

Deadpool and Wolverine recently hit Disney+ after being previously being made available for download, DVD, and Blu-ray. The film has proven highly successful, becoming the highest-grossing R-Rated film, as well as one of the highest-grossing films of the year, and at present, the 20th highest-grossing film of all time.

However, fans of the films will notice that certain established characters in previous films have since been muscled out of the picture, despite being heavily established in Deadpool or Deadpool 2. To some extent, this is understandable, seeing as the crossover element gave limited focus to the universe. Yet for Deadpool’s friends serving as an apparent motivator to save his world, some have gone conspicuously missing, even during the limited parts where others did appear during the film.

5 Weasel

Deadpool’s “Best Friend”

Weasel was a bartender who worked at Sister Margaret’s School For Wayward Children, a bar where mercenaries looked for work. Deadpool often patronized the bar, with his name in the film deriving from the apparent “dead pool” where people place bets, selecting exactly when they think certain mercenaries will die. Weasel bounced exposition off of Deadpool, and aided him during certain pursuits, such as vetting possible members for his own incarnation of the X-Force in Deadpool 2. However, he was also something of a coward, who opted out of direct combat and notably fed information to Cable to prevent himself from getting hurt.

It is unclear exactly why Weasel did not appear during Deadpool and Wolverine. It is possible that part of the reason has to do with his performer, T. J. Miller, who has had a history of controversy, including various legal issues, a sexual assault allegation, and general accusations of misconduct. Miller had also previously alleged that Ryan Reynolds hated him, and viewed it as a possible reason why he wouldn’t be involved in the third movie. More recently, Miller claimed that their relationship had improved and signaled a willingness to reprise the role in future projects, though what this means for the character, if anything, is unclear.

4 Bob

More Important in the Comics

Bob, Agent of Hydra, is a sidekick to Deadpool in the comics. Per his name, he was formerly an agent of the terrorist organization known as Hydra, but later ended up betraying them in order to help Wade. Like most Hydra grunts, he is not particularly powerful, but shares a strong bond with Deadpool. His given name, Bob Dobalina, is presumably a reference to either Zilch by the Monkees, or Mistadobalina by Del the Funkee Homosapien, which samples the former.

He had a brief appearance in Deadpool, despite Marvel Studios having the rights to Hydra at the time. Instead, he was retooled as an agent of Ajax, the first film’s villain. While not an active sidekick, Bob is instead established as a longtime friend of Wade Wilson. Portrayed in a brief role by Rob Hayter, Bob is part of a particularly hilarious bit, where he recognizes Wade in the midst of him wiping out the rest of Ajax’s agents. While the majority of them are killed after refusing Deadpool’s surrender conditions, out of respect for their friendship, Deadpool instead knocks out Bob and drags him away to safety.

Considering his already incredibly minor role, as well as his comic counterpart’s own storied friendship with Deadpool, it would’ve made sense for him to briefly return in the manner of most established friends of Wade. It is likely that this version of Bob is merely too unimportant for even that cameo, with his own appearance in the film, much like his comic counterpart, being not particularly distinct from other common grunts on a physical level.

3 Firefist

A Pyrokinetic Mutant

Russell Collins was a mutant orphan who suffered abuse and mistreatment at his orphanage, which doubled as a “mutant re-education center.” The abuse he suffered eventually made him turn to evil, resulting in mass murders in the future, which would claim the lives of Cable’s wife and daughter. This motivated Cable to travel back in time and kill Russell while he was a child.

Deadpool is convinced he needs to help Russell, not only saving his life from Cable, but also preventing him from turning into the villain who commits mass murder in the future. Unfortunately, Russell is also under the influence of Juggernaut, who agrees to aid him in killing his orphanage’s headmaster. After Wade saves Russell’s life at the cost of his own, an act eventually retconned by Cable. Russell is ultimately dissuaded from becoming a killer, with the headmaster instead dying after Deadpool’s friend, Dopinder, runs him over.

Julian Dennison, who played Firefist, confirmed he would not reprise the role for the sequel. It is unclear exactly why Russell didn’t return, even for the brief moments where Deadpool’s other friends congregated. It is possible Russell and Wade have grown apart in the six years between when the two movies took place, but nothing is concrete, as the character goes without even a mention in Deadpool and Wolverine.

2 Cable

Deadpool’s Frenemy

Cable, is a distant future version of Nathan Summers, the son of Scott Summers, better known as Cyclops. Cable originated from a future where an older Firefist (portrayed by Sala Baker) murders his wife and daughter, among many others. Cable travels back in time to prevent this action by murdering Russell before he ever turns evil. This puts him in continual conflict with Deadpool, who seeks to rehabilitate the child rather than kill him.

The two eventually come to an understanding when Cable realizes the moment Deadpool seeks to prevent is the flashpoint which causes Russell to turn evil. After Deadpool’s attempts to talk down Russell fail, Cable attempts to shoot him. Deadpool takes the bullet and dies, which Cable decides to time travel to prevent. Having sacrificed what he believed to be his only way back, Cable decides to remain in the present for the time being.

Cable was briefly referenced in Deadpool and Wolverine, in relation to the ill-fated X-Force. It is unclear what this ultimately means for the character. Josh Brolin, Cable’s performer, who also previously played Thanos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, previously claimed to have a four-film deal for Cable. How this deal was affected by the merger, as well as any future films Cable will return for, are at present, unclear. It is possible Cable’s appearance would be harder to fully appreciate in the context of Deadpool and Wolverine, as the film focuses on a number of other Marvel characters in Fox projects.

1 Domino

Sole Survivor of X-Force

Domino is one of many characters Deadpool recruits for X-Force, who has the power to manipulate luck. Deadpool questions if it even qualifies as a power at all, but is forced to rely on her when his other X-Force comrades perish (although he retroactively saves Peter after the events of the film.) She manages to ultimately build a rapport with Deadpool, and aids him in his efforts to rescue Russell from Cable.

Purely in terms of character, Domino is perhaps one of the odder choices not to return. However, this is likely due to budgeting reasons. A majority of the relatively minor roles in this movie were less active supporting characters in the previous films, whose parts were already somewhat comparatively smaller in appearance. While Deadpool and Wolverine significantly reduced most of their roles, they were already not the most major players. Zazie Beetz, Domino’s performer, previously commented that she was “not in Deadpool 3” in 2023. Once again, it is unclear what this ultimately means for the character in the long term.