X-Men 3 star turned down a cameo in Deadpool 3 because of the "mental toll" of playing his character

X-Men 3
(Image credit: Mavrel Studios)

With an overwhelming number of teased cameos, Deadpool 3 is turning into a who’s who of Marvel characters, but it looks like not everyone is on board. In a new interview, X-Men: The Last Stand’s Vinnie Jones revealed he actually turned down a role in the upcoming movie.

During an interview with Yahoo UK, Jones, known for playing mutant Juggernaut in X-Men 3, said he was approached by director Shawn Levy to appear in the film, but turned it down due to his experience in making the previous superhero flick.

"Funnily enough I just got asked to do Deadpool, the new one now, and I spoke to the director and I just said it's such a drama putting that suit on mentally and physically," he said. "I mean it had its mental toll as well because you're in it and you can't do anything all day, you can only drink through a straw. So we couldn't strike the deal for Deadpool."

Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool

(Image credit: Marvel/20th Century)

Deadpool 3, officially titled Deadpool & Wolverine, welcomes back everyone's favorite Merc with the Mouth Wade Wilson, played by Ryan Reynolds, as he is pulled out of his comfortable life by the TVA and plummeted into the multiverse. The third flick in the series marks Deadpool’s introduction to the MCU as he teams up with mutant Wolverine to defeat a common enemy.

First introduced all the way back in 1965's X-Men #12 by Stan Lee, Juggernaut, otherwise known as Cain Marko, is a strong and durable superhuman almost invincible to any attack. The character first made his cinematic appearance portrayed by Jones in the 2006 flick when he was recruited by Magneto’s villainous group Brotherhood to fight the mutants. Jones notably wore a large metal helmet in the film, which is presumably what took a toll on the actor. 

Later in the interview, Jones mentioned that he did consider appearing in the upcoming superhero film, but the budget didn't fit. "Deadpool's my favorite movie of all f***ing time more or less," said The Gentlemen star. "I really wanted to do it, but they didn't have the budget to put me in the suit." It is unclear what role Juggernaut would have played in Deadpool 3, but due to his past, we have to assume he would have given Wade a lot of trouble. 

Deadpool 3 hits theatres on July 25 in the UK and on July 26, 2024 in the US. For more on the MCU, check out our guide on how to watch Marvel movies in order, or keep up to date with upcoming Marvel movies heading your way in 2024 and beyond.  

Editorial Associate, GamesRadar+

I am an Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering TV and film for SFX and Total Film online. I have a Bachelors Degree in Media Production and Journalism and a Masters in Fashion Journalism from UAL. In the past I have written for local UK and US newspaper outlets such as the Portland Tribune and York Mix and worked in communications, before focusing on film and entertainment writing. I am a HUGE horror fan and in 2022 I created my very own single issue feminist horror magazine.