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By now you’ve heard the news about the upcoming X-Force film from Fox. If not, then you’re very welcome for the update and I suggest you crawl out from under that rock. The film will be written by Jeff Wadlow (Kick-Ass 2) and he might even direct the feature. It has recently been confirmed that the team will be composed of five members. But the question on everyone’s mind, lips, and blogs is actually WHO WILL BE ON THE TEAM??!! Which line up will be used? WIll it be Liefeld’s classic and original team? Will it be Kyle and Yost’s black ops squad that was led by Wolverine? Could it even be one of the two X-Force teams currently in comics. Or will it be (and most likely it will) a combination of them all with a surprise or two thrown in?
Well we’re also full of anticipation and questions over here at Comic Attack so we’re going to toss out a few names and see what you think. Some are no brainers (for comic fans at least) and others are longshot’s (no pun intended)! So we’re going to throw out a few options and feel free to let us know who you’d want to see in the X-Force movie. Either way it’s time to have some fun!
First up is the one character that will always define X-Force: Cable. He’s the backbone and driving force behind the original team. I also think it’s safe to say that the comic fans will be very upset (and that’s putting it very nicely) if he’s not in the film to lead his team with big guns blazing and cyber eye flashing. The casual moviegoer might not care as much but to have an X-Force film without Cable is pretty much like having a Rocky movie without Rocky Balboa or The Count of Monte Cristo without Edmond Dantes. Yes, it’s THAT critical folks. Now, as great as it would be to finally see Cable on the big screen you have to remember there are two versions of him. In Marvel’s Ultimate Universe Cable is revealed to be Wolverine and since that character already has an established movie fan base it wouldn’t be too far of a stretch for Fox to use that character as a bridge. Honestly, I’m hoping they stick with the original Cable who is the son of Cyclops from the future and an all around beast in a fight!
Next up is Cable’s right hand woman, Domino. Every team needs a femme fatale that can hold her own around her male teammates and she fits the bill perfectly. Domino was also part of the original team and she is on the very short list of people whom Cable trusts. Their relationship dynamic would make for some very good cinematic moments as long as her character is portrayed just as strong as she’s been written at times. Her probability altering mutant power would also provide some great moments during the film’s action sequences. Let’s also be a little honest here, as far as visuals go, no one is going to argue about a gorgeous looking woman in a tight outfight kicking ass throughout the film. But as I stated earlier she needs to come off as a battle hardened woman with substance that can hold her own. And not another disaster like the horrible Emma Frost representation we got in X-Men: First Class.
This is the guy everyone is most likely dying to see on film and that’s Deadpool. It’s already been mentioned that there’s a very high probability for him to be in the film. Since many comic fans weren’t too happy with the way he was handled in X-Men Origins: Wolverine this may be a chance for Fox to get it right and quite possibly test the waters for a potential Deadpool solo spinoff. Deadpool has been a member of X-Force though his mercenary past has also brought him into direct conflict with Cable. On the other hand he’s also fought side by side with him and been a loyal (as much as he can be) soldier. Their Cable & Deadpool series did quite well and it wouldn’t be a bad idea to take some cues from there. He’d also provide the comic relief needed to make sure that even in the most dire moments of the film that we can still get a good laugh.
Cannonball makes the list because he would be the character to bring that honest naivety and heart to the team. It would also be great to see his character grow during the film into the self assured young man he is now. Or at least the beginnings of that. Let’s not forget that in the early days of X-Force Cannonball idolized Cable and learned a lot from him. He was also his mentor and father figure for quite some time. Cannonball is also another character we have yet to see on the big screen and it would be cool to see how his powers would be interpreted for the film. It would also be pretty fun to see how Deadpool would take advantage of the kid who is not as seasoned as the rest of the members on the team. Since he doesn’t have the brutal past or as much life experience he’d be put into a world much darker than where he came from forcing him to grow up a bit and also see the world a bit differently.
There is no ignoring the need for a character that brings some dark inner turmoil and conflict to a team dynamic. Who better to do that than Rhane Sinclair aka Wolfsbane? A young Scottish mutant who is at odds with her mutation due to her strict religious and abusive upbringing. She would be quite unsure of herself and probably feel more out of place than Cannonball among the rest of the team. Also, with the two being close in age they would naturally want to gravitate towards each other. However Rhane’s issues with herself would make things a bit difficult though we might get some great character moments out of it. But the most important reason to have her on the team is to see some great lycanthrope transformation scenes and who doesn’t love one of those?
Shatterstar would be a great addition for several reason. He’s one of the fiercest fighters in the Marvel Universe. Having been created for that sole purpose makes him a serious badass and would make any villain and his or her foot soldiers pause. The chance for great martial arts like fight scenes bring another level to the action and mixes things up a bit. He’s another original member from the comics and last but not least, he’s gay. As far as I know there hasn’t been an openly gay character in the Marvel cinematic universe yet and who better than the guy who is ALREADY gay in the comics. This makes it seem a lot less than a PR stunt since it’s been established for years. And let’s face it, it’s past time a gay superhero is shown on the big screen that’s not some offensive stereotype. But someone who is taken just as seriously as when characters of various ethnicities are introduced. It would be interesting to see if Fox would take the steps to make this happen.
Frenzy may be a shot in the dark but this former villain who wants to turn things around would fit very well on an X-Force team. She has an edge that only comes with having run with the bad guys and at the same time is looking to prove herself. Though her power set is pretty common when it comes to comics (super strength & invulnerability) it’s her past as a legitimate bad guy that makes her addition to the team a bit more interesting. Whereas some of her teammates may have walked the fine line or just did horrible acts for money, she actually crossed the line and lived on that side of it for quite some time. Sure there will be some tweaking to her origin for her to fit within the confines of the X-Force film but it wouldn’t have to be much. Though I wouldn’t mind the scene of her mutant powers activating as she punched her abusive father through the chest. That would definitely set up a bit of sympathy for the character as we see what led her on the path she took.
Fantomex would be a great addition since his origin ties into the Sentinal program along with Wolverine’s past. He’s also become a fan favorite over the past few years and a guy we’re all dying to see on the big screen. He has that edge that has defined many of X-Force’s past and current members but he’s one of the more unique characters to fill their ranks. With his history as a master thief, his three brains, the ability to cast illusions and being that his external nervous system is a ship named E.V.A. he brings something very different to the table. Plus the team will need a means of transportation and this would be perfect. On a personal note I’d much rather see him than Deadpool anyway.
Warpath rounds out our little list and with good reason. He’s an original member of the team and is just a fantastic character all around. He will also be appearing in the upcoming X-Men: Days of Future Past film and that is cause for excitement right there. So it would make perfect sense to bring the Apache warrior over for an X-Force movie after making an appearance here. Surely this will depend on what his role in Days of Future Past will be but hopefully the people in charge are thinking long term with this character. It would also be nice to see as much of the original team Liefeld put together all on the big screen as possible.
With the amount of mutants in the X-Men’s little corner of the Marvel Universe this list could have gone on forever. It’s a shame that time does not permit that but I’m sure wheels are turning in your head as to who you would like to see fill out the roster of X-Force on the big screen. With the news of X-Men: Days of Future Past boasting a huge list of mutants just like the comic did let’s hope we get some hints as to what may happen in X-Force as well!
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