6 Actors We Want to Play Cable in 'Deadpool 2'
by Jesse Schedeen
"Deadpool 2" hit a snag recently, as we learned that director Tim Miller has dropped out due to "creative differences" with star Ryan Reynolds. Those differences included conflicts over which actor should play the gun-toting future soldier Cable. While Fox sorts things out behind the scenes, here are six actors that could play the iconic X-Man.
Kyle Chandler
Reportedly, former "Friday Night Lights" star Kyle Chandler was Miller's top pick for the role. Chandler isn't the most obvious choice, but it does offer insight into how "Deadpool 2" is handling the character. Chandler isn't the most muscular choice, but he's proven he can bark orders and lead men into battle. Maybe Miller was onto something?
Ron Perlman
Between "Blade II" and the "Hellboy" movies, Ron Perlman already has ample superhero cred. It's not much of a stretch to picture him donning some shoulder pads and trading in "The Big Baby" for an even more ridiculously large gun. Besides, it doesn't sound like "Hellboy 3" is happening anytime soon.
Karl Urban
Karl Urban already cut his teeth playing a gun-toting, futuristic superhero thanks to 2012's "Dredd." Plus, he also has plenty of experience playing the cranky straight man to a wisecracking action hero in the rebooted "Star Trek" franchise. At this point, is there anyone more qualified to play Cable? We just hope Urban's contract for "Thor: Ragnarok" doesn't prevent him from playing in Fox's Marvel sandbox.
Sean Bean
Though he's developed a bit of a reputation for playing the tragic hero who dies in every film and TV show he appears in, Sean Bean has quite the impressive resume when it comes to butt-kicking action heroes. Perhaps it's time for him to put down that giant sword and pick up a giant gun instead.
Jeffrey Dean Morgan
Between the Comedian in "The Walking Dead," Jeffrey Dean Morgan sure knows a thing or two about playing foul-mouthed, bloodthirsty, morally reprehensible comic book characters. He certainly knows how to intimidate, but we'd like to see him soften that image a little and play a hero for a change.
Stephen Lang
Not since Patrick Stewart signed on as Professor X has there been such an obvious casting choice for an X-Men character. Stephen Lang's villain in "Avatar" is a dead ringer for Cable, and being attached to another of Fox's big moneymaker franchises can't hurt. But even though Lang and his fans are both campaigning heavily for the role, we have to wonder if Fox will prefer a more well-known and bankable star.