Actor Lewis Tan seemingly teased his return as X-Force member Shatterstar in the upcoming MCU movie Deadpool 3, alongside Ryan Reynold’s titular hero and Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine.
The X-Force was first introduced in Ryan Reynold’s second solo outing, which included the likes of Domino, Vanisher, Zeitgeist, Bedlam, Peter, and Shatterstar. Sadly, nearly every single one of them died before even starting their mission—even Brad Pitt.
Following his debut as Shatterstar, Tan almost got the role of Shang-Chi in the MCU. Though, while he may have lost out to Simu Liu then, it looks like he might be getting to return as his former mutant persona.
Maybe death truly wasn’t the end of Tan’s hero.
Shatterstar in Deadpool 3?
On Twitter, Deadpool 2 star Lewis Tan cryptically teased his return as Shatterstar in the upcoming third movie.
His post included four emojis (an alien, two swords making an X, a skull, and a pile of poop) followed by a hashtag for Deadpool 3.
This isn’t the first time he shared a tease like this. Back in September, when the announcement regarding Hugh Jackson’s Wolverine was first made, Tan shared an image of the movie's logo alongside two relevant emojis.
While it seems obvious that this new post and the previous one are teasing a return, it could also be an example of an actor talking too much—potentially even trying to speak his return into existence.
This is a common practice, from bigger stars who want a niche role, lesser-known actors looking for that big gig, or even stunt performers trying to will themselves a promotion. It also could simply be like Vin Diesel, who tends to just say things (such as a desire for a Planet X film and teasing an “Alpha Groot”).
How Might Lewis Tan Return in the MCU?
Even though Lewis Tan’s character is dead, he could easily still return. Not only is Hugh Jackman’s iconic Wolverine also supposedly dead, but the upcoming threequel seems to be a Multiverse-focused movie.
When it comes to Shatterstar in particular, he also happens to be connected to a big villain in the comics, someone who could be the perfect foil for the upcoming project: Mojo. The completely over-the-top, gross antagonist is known for hosting insane life-or-death television shows, usually involving trapping people into fake but deadly realities.
With the Multiverse potentially being in the spotlight for Wilson’s next adventure, Mojo could be a fantastic choice and provide plenty of opportunities for jokes and allow for a unique, meta-commentary-filled tale.
It would also be a clever way of getting Ryan Reynold’s Deadpool into the MCU proper.
Deadpool 3 is set to hit theaters on November 8, 2024.
