Josh Brolin Closes the Door on Cable’s MCU Return, but Thanos Is Another Story

Josh Brolin is one of the rare actors who has gotten to play two major Marvel characters on the big screen. He became the face of Thanos, the Mad Titan who haunted the Avengers across multiple films, and he also suited up as the time-traveling mutant soldier Cable. For years, fans have wondered whether he might bring both of them back.

The Cable side of that story began in April 2017, when Brolin was cast in the role for ‘Deadpool 2’ and was reported to have signed a 4-picture deal for the character. The film arrived in 2018, between ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ and ‘Avengers: Endgame’, and Brolin has said in the past that the comedic tone of the sequel was the most uncomfortable part of the job. Even so, Cable’s survival at the end of that movie seemed to set him up for a bigger future.

That future got more complicated when Marvel Studios brought Deadpool into the MCU. Brolin was left out of ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’, though Cable was referenced twice in the film, and he joked at the time about not being invited while admitting that he wanted to be part of it. Deadpool co-creator Rob Liefeld later claimed that Marvel blocked a Brolin cameo.

Now Brolin has made his feelings about a Cable comeback clearer than ever. Speaking at New York Comic Con while promoting ‘Whalefall’, the actor said he is no longer interested in returning to the role in a new MCU project. He told The Direct that he is glad “Cable was isolated unto that experience,” and he called the ‘Deadpool 2’ shoot a good memory.

The comments land on top of years of speculation about what could have been. Liefeld said that Brolin had signed a multi-picture deal for Cable and Stryfe in an X-Force movie, which was canceled after the Disney and Fox merger. He has also said he sees much more potential in the character, but that any future depends on whether Brolin is willing to come back.

There have also been rumors that Ryan Reynolds is interested in making the next Deadpool movie a team-up sequel, which would supposedly involve the return of Nathan Summers. For now, that remains unconfirmed, and Brolin’s latest remarks do not make that path any easier.

This is not entirely new for the actor. In 2025, Brolin said on the ‘Happy Sad Confused’ podcast that he was glad ‘Deadpool 2’ was a single experience. This time, however, he was asked directly about a future return, and his answer treats the role as a one-and-done.

Brolin sounds far more enthusiastic about the Mad Titan. He called Thanos a very interesting role and said he had a lot of fun playing it, and he praised the Russo brothers as unprecedented and unparalleled filmmakers. The article notes that he did not explicitly say he would return, though the author reads his praise as a strong sign.

That would fit what he said last year. Brolin said on that same podcast that he would be on his way the next day if the Russo brothers called him in London, and he noted that Thanos was originally meant to be a one-off cameo before it grew into a full villain. The character’s earlier appearances stretched from ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ to an ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ mid-credits scene before he became the main antagonist of ‘Avengers: Infinity War’.

The timing of the comments is hard to ignore. ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ arrives in theaters on December 18, with the Russo brothers directing and Robert Downey Jr. playing Doctor Doom, while ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ follows on December 17, 2027. Brolin’s repeated praise for the Russos has fueled speculation that he could return in one of those films, although nothing has been confirmed.

As for Cable, fans may have to settle for the character’s brief mentions and the memories of his time in the Fox-era films. Brolin has now said twice that he is content with that one appearance, which makes a surprise return look unlikely for now.

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