Waiting for the Cable casting announcement has been like waiting for your food at a restaurant when you’re hangry: after a while you don’t care if they bring me dog food covered in hot mayo – just bring me something! But word from DEADPOOL 2 writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick is that we won’t have to be waiting much longer, as the casting announcement is being prepped for landing.
While talking with Comic Book about their new sci-fi film, LIFE, Reese and Wernick got into Cable casting, and how we can expect an announcement soon given the upcoming start of production. How soon, you ask? Apparently, we can expect an announcement “very soon.” Yeah, that soon.
Reese:
It's a short, short list.
Wernick:
An announcement will be coming very soon. We're gonna go into production in the next couple of months and cast announcements will be coming fast and furious.
Regarding what they’re looking for in an actor to play the large character, the two said they need someone not only physically imposing, but with a dry sense of humor that can work well against Deadpool’s (Ryan Reynolds) outlandish jibes… on top of being able to “carry a franchise moving forward.”:
Reese:
I think intimidating, scary, a great foil opposite the lunacy. Someone with a great deadpan thing where they can react to someone who's being crazy. Someone who also has a spark of a sense of humor. This person has to be funny because they're buddying up with Ryan and Deadpool so they just themselves to be funny but in a more serious way, if that makes sense. Physically imposing and able to emote. There's real drama and real stakes. It's a tough one.
This comes off the news that Zazie Beetz was cast as Domino, so the actor will probably have to work well with her too. Going through the list of a few names we’ve heard attached to the casting, rumor or otherwise, we have Stephen Lang, Pierce Brosnan, Russell Crowe and, most recently, David Harbour of STRANGER THINGS. Reese did say the list was very short, so chances are they’ve already found their man, and are just titillating us even more for some sick thrills.
Out of all those names I’d day Harbour has the best shot, if any of them actually do. Though I think all of them could handle the humor end of things, I think Harbour’s popularity coming out of THINGS is giving him much fan notoriety. Plus he’s actually screen-tested for the role, while the other actors’ casting may have just been wishful thinking. But the time is nigh, so get ready and stay tuned for the big drop. I’d prepare both a generic positive and negative comment, just so you’re ready.
See LIFE on March 24 with Jake Gyllenhaal, Ryan Reynolds and Rebecca Ferguson.