Deadpool & Wolverine is a multiverse road trip film that meshes together a wide array of popular Marvel characters, but a key member of Deadpool 2, Domino (Zazie Beetz), did not appear in the sequel. Her absence was not excused, either.
Major X-Force Members Were Not Brought Back for Deadpool 3
In Deadpool 2, the X-Force was introduced with Domino and Cable (Josh Brolin) as its main members, while the rest (except for Peter and Shatter) quickly perished while on their first mission. Despite their significance in the franchise, neither Domino nor Cable returned in Deadpool & Wolverine. The film winks at this fact, as Deadpool jokingly claims that Brolin’s character did not rest well with audiences. However, there was no mention of Domino and her exclusion, despite the rest of the Deadpool crew making brief appearances throughout the film.
Although some rumors swirled before the release of Deadpool & Wolverine, Zazie Beetz confirmed to Decider in June 2023 that her character would not be reappearing: “Well, I’m actually not in Deadpool 3, so I don’t know what they’re doing. I’m assuming they’re probably taking a pause.” Unfortunately, this is one of the rare cases when an actor does not lie about not being in a superhero movie. There is currently no clear-cut reason for her absence, but the nature of Deadpool & Wolverine likely played a hand in excluding Domino.
Related: Did Deadpool & Wolverine Confirm That MCU Blade Is Canceled?
Produced by Marvel Studios, Deadpool & Wolverine is a direct sequel to the previous two films but feels far more separated from those projects than the title suggests. The previous Deadpool supporting cast only appears at the start and end of the movie. Peter is the most relevant member at this point, but their presence is simply used as a vehicle to develop Deadpool as a character. In many ways, Deadpool & Wolverine is a standalone film that primarily centers itself on the titular characters and their emotional journey. Adding Domino to that mix would mean not giving her a substantial storyline. If she were included, she most likely would have been relegated to being a background character like the rest of the DP crew.
Why Domino is absent in Deadpool 3 does not yet have a definitive answer, but her return can not be discarded either. The universe Deadpool originates from is still fully intact, meaning characters like Domino can still make an appearance in the future. One potential wrinkle may be that Marvel Studios wants to present their version of the character, without Zazie Beetz in the role. If it’s up to her, though, she has been game from the start.
In 2022, Beetz told ScreenRant she was hoping to return: “I am crossing my fingers, hoping that Domino will be a part of this and if not, that’s also all good.” Unfortunately, Domino fans will have to cross their fingers for a while longer.
Deadpool & Wolverine is currently available in theaters worldwide.
Published: Aug 4, 2024 08:00 am