Summary
Actor Aaron Stanford is open to reprising his role as Pyro in the MCU, but he would need to consider it. Stanford’s character could potentially appear in Deadpool 3 or Avengers: Secret Wars. Stanford’s return would likely be a cameo, as it’s possible Pyro will be recast for the MCU’s X-Men reboot.
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Years after his last appearance in 20th Century Fox’s X-Men franchise, actor Aaron Stanford has now addressed his potential return in the MCU. Following Disney’s acquisition of Fox in 2019, several mutant characters from Marvel Comics have now been able to make appearances in the MCU’s Multiverse Saga. While Ms. Marvel’s Kamala Khan and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’s Namor have been confirmed as mutants in the MCU’s main continuity, some actors have also reprised their roles from Fox’s X-Men Universe, including the likes of Patrick Stewart and Kelsey Grammer, who will soon be joined by Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman.
Patrick Stewart appeared in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness as a variant of Charles Xavier’s Professor X, while Kelsey Grammer returned as Hank McCoy’s Beast in The Marvels’ post-credits scene. Evan Peters also played a version of Quicksilver in WandaVision, but was revealed to be a fake.
With so many actors from Fox’s X-Men Universe returning in the MCU, other actors from the previous franchise have also been questioned about possibly reprising their roles. This includes Aaron Stanford, who portrayed John Allerdyce’s Pyro in 2003’s X2 and 2006’s X-Men: The Last Stand. Stanford spoke to The Direct’s Russ Milheim while promoting his 2023 film Finestkind, and was asked whether he would hypothetically return as Pyro if Marvel Studios asked. Noting that he had fun during the production of his prior X-Men films, Stanford neglected to give a definite answer, suggesting that he’d “have to think about it.”
I’d have to think about it. You know, it’s a character that, I’ve been there and done that. I quite enjoyed it. And I still have many, many fond memories and a lot of lasting friendships from those experiences… I don’t know, man. It’s an intriguing question. I would have to consider it.
Related How The MCU Is Already Getting The X-Men Right The X-Men who have already appeared in or been previewed for the MCU demonstrate Marvel’s dedication to doing right by the popular heroes.
When Could Pyro Return To The MCU?
Aaron Stanford’s ambiguous response suggests that there is a chance for him to reprise the role of Pyro in the MCU’s future, and there are several upcoming projects that could feature his return, 18 years since he last portrayed the pyrokinetic mutant. Most notably, Marvel Studios’ upcoming Deadpool 3 is expected to feature several cameos from Fox’s X-Men characters, as the project will bridge the gap between Fox’s X-Men Universe and the MCU. Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool, Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine, and several other exciting mutant characters have already been confirmed, so Aaron Stanford’s Pyro could easily be added to the roster.
20th Century Fox’s mutants are also speculated to have a role in Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Secret Wars, the final project of the MCU’s Phase 6 and the concluding storyline of the Multiverse Saga. Secret Wars is expected to feature cameos from Marvel characters from several different live-action franchises, meaning this could be a great opportunity for Aaron Stanford to reappear as Pyro, though he likely wouldn’t have a large role in the already-jam-packed Secret Wars. While it’s likely that John Allerdyce’s Pyro will be recast for the MCU’s X-Men reboot, Aaron Stanford could still return to bid a final farewell.
Source: The Direct
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