Why isn't Vinnie Jones in Deadpool and Wolverine? (original) (raw)

Watch: Vinnie Jones discusses turning down Deadpool and Wolverine, and his career highlights

Deadpool and Wolverine is full of cameos and references to the previous movies in the X-Men franchise, as well as across the Marvel Cinematic Universe and previous Deadpool movies, but there's one actor who won't be back: Vinnie Jones.

The actor told Yahoo UK as part of his Role Recall interview that after his experience making X-Men: The Last Stand ended up being a shambles he decided not to return as Juggernaut when asked to for Deadpool and Wolverine. Ultimately, Jones felt that it wasn't worth the hassle to get back into the suit, and in the film a different actor plays the character.

"I just got asked to do Deadpool, the new one now, and I spoke to the director [Shawn Levy] and I just said it's such a drama putting that suit on mentally and physically," Jones explains.

Vinnie Jones as Juggernaut in 2006's X-Men: The Last Stand, making the film was so disappointing the actor tells Yahoo UK he decided not to return for Deadpool and Wolverine. (Fox)

"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 [& Wolverine].

"But Deadpool's my favourite movie of all f***ing time more or less. I really wanted to do it, but they didn't have the budget to put me in the suit."

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Jones played Juggernaut in the ill-fated third instalment of the original X-Men trilogy, the 2006 film changed director after the actor had signed on —Brett Ratner stepped in after Jones' friend Matthew Vaughn dropped out— and things went downhill from there.

"Matthew Vaughn was gonna do it and then he bailed on it, and he rung me and said 'have you signed your contract yet?' I said 'no why?' and he said 'I'm not gonna do it, they're going to bring a new director on'," the actor says.

Jones played Juggernaut in the ill-fated third film in the original X-Men trilogy, the 2006 superhero film saw his role be 'diluted' down so he didn't want to come back for the new Marvel film. (Fox)

"So the new director came on and it was not the same role as I signed on to do, they diluted the dialogue, it was a bigger role and... the director brought in so many moving parts, and so many other actors that mine was the one that got diluted, the Juggernaut.

"I lost all interest quite early because I knew they were just ticking me along."

The new film sees Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) be tasked by the Time Variance Authority (TVA) with heading into the multiverse to save the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As such a variant of Juggernaut appears in the film, played by a new actor, so Jones' decision not to return is explained.

Deadpool, in true Deadpool fashion, even makes a joke that the character looks different as a reference to Jones' decision not to put the suit back on.

Deadpool and Wolverine is out now in cinemas.