Back in 2013, writer Jeff Wadlow was hired by 20th Century Fox to pen an X-Force movie. Based on the same-named mutant strike force from the comics, the movie would have opened up the X-Men film universe to more militaristic adventures. Since then, we’ve barely heard a peep about the project’s development, and many have assumed that it’s either dead or lingering in development hell. However, now we know the original lineup of protagonists the project was looking at had it moved forward, and they’re all familiar faces to longtime X-Force fans.
Over on his website, artist Gregory Semkow has concept art posted that features the heroes who would have headlined X-Force. The lineup would have consisted of Cable, Domino, Warpath, Cannonball and a hooded woman who resembles Rogue, but is more likely someone else. Since none of these characters have appeared in the X-Men movies yet, the X-Force movie would have been a prime vehicle for them to be introduced.
Cable is the son of Scott Summers and Madelene Pryor who was sent from the future and came back to the present as a badass soldier with a techno-organic virus augmenting his physical attributes, on top of naturally being telepathic and telekinetic. On top of being a skilled fighter, Domino is able to subconsciously affect probability, a.k.a make herself very lucky. Warpath, brother of short-lived X-Men member Thunderbird, has all his physical abilities raised to superhuman levels. Cannonball is able to generate a thermo-chemical energy that can propel his body through the air at superhuman speeds. As for that woman, it’s possible she’s a redesigned version of someone like Moonstar, or, if they’re drawing closely on Cable’s history, perhaps a grown-up Hope Summers.
With the future of the X-Men movie franchise focused on spinoffs like Deadpool and Gambit, it doesn’t appear that X-Force is a priority for Fox in the slightest. Earlier this year, Ryan Reynolds expressed interest in seeing Wade Wilson and Cable team up in an X-Force adventure, but that’s just the wish of the man breathing life into the Merc with a Mouth. When asked last night if X-Force is still happening, creator Rob Liefeld said he didn't believe so, since the studio is focused on Deadpool.
It’s worth noting Fox also has a New Mutants movie in development, which would presumably fill the same ensemble position in the franchise that the main X-Men movies do. However, because many of the New Mutants later joined X-Force under Cable’s leadership in the comics, it’s possible the team could eventually be realized on the big screen, just not necessarily in their own movie. Perhaps the team could debut in the New Mutants movie or one of its potential sequels, and if they’re well received by the audience, they could be spun off into their own movie finally.
At this point, we don’t know for certain if X-Force will ever get made, but if it does and has a lineup that looks as cool as the one above, it would make for an intense story. In the meantime, the X-Men film universe is continuing next year with Deadpool and X-Men: Apocalypse, followed by Gambit and Wolverine 3.
