15 X-Force Characters We Need to See on the Big Screen

Posted on June 30, 2017 in Marvel Madness

X-Force is a darker, more militant Marvel team that takes a more proactive approach towards mutant terrorists than ‘family friendly’ teams such as the X-Men. Originally consisting of members of the New Mutants and formed by the time-traveling mutant Cable, X-Force has seen numerous changes to the team over the years.

An X-Force film has been in production since 2013, but it’s only recently that the fire behind the film has been reignited. It has also been confirmed that X-Force staple characters Cable and his partner in crime Domino will be introduced in Deadpool 2, with Sunspot, Feral, and Shatterstar also being rumoured to appear at the end of the film.

In February of this year, Ryan Reynolds was announced to be a co-writer of an as yet untitled X-Force film, set to be released after Deadpool 2. And, with over 40 characters to choose from, here is a list of 15 of the best X-Force characters we need to see on screen.

15) Doctor Nemesis

Dr Nemesis is one of the newer X-Force recruits and a current member of the team. A mutant super scientist, also known as Dr James Bradley, he was forced by gun point to join and become the doctor of the team. A ‘self-evolved’ mutant, his powers include super-genius levels of intelligence, as well as both biological and bio-technological enhancements created through his own experimentation. A Nazi hunter and co-creator of the original Human Torch, Dr Nemesis was born in 1906 and has featured in many major story arcs since 1941. He was originally created in Ace Magazine’s Lightning comics, and was revived as “Dr Death” by Marvel in 1993. Known for his wit and arrogance, Nemesis is a character that that would provide great entertainment on the big screen.

14) Marrow

Another modern addition to the X-Force family, only becoming a member in 2014, Marrow is mostly known for her time with the Morlocks and the X-Men. Originally taken in by the Morlocks as a child, she founded the violent splinter cell Gene Nation, which caused the Morlock’s leader Callisto to force Marrow to join the X-Men for redemption. Marrow’s mutant powers include enhancing the growth of her skeletal structure to the point where her bones grow out of her skin and can be removed from her body. Her bone structures provide her with the ability to make her own weapons such as knives and clubs as well as providing a little bit of body armour.

13) Dani Moonstar

Danielle Moonstar is better known by her aliases of Psyche and Mirage. Starting out as a founding member and eventual leader of Chris Claremont’s New Mutants team, she later joined X-Force in the mid-90s. Dani is a Cheyenne super heroine born in Colorado, with her powers manifesting for the first time when she saw an image of her parents dying. Born with empathic psi abilities, Dani is able to communicate with animals and to create three-dimensional images of visual concepts from within the minds of herself and others. A by-product of her illusion casting means she can focus her psionic powers into energy arrows to stun opponents.

Due to her time spent as Valkyrie, she also gained the Valkyrie power to perceive and sense the coming of Death. While we don’t know if Dani Moonstar will appear in the X-Force film, Blu Hunt has been cast to play her in the upcoming New Mutants movie.

12) Boom Boom

Tabitha Smith, also known as Boom Boom, is one of the original Liefeld X-Force team members. Another character that was also in the New Mutants before they became part of the original X-Force team, Tabitha was also a member of the X-Terminators prior to them being absorbed into the New Mutants. Boom Boom’s powers include psionically creating plasma energy spheres of varying sizes, ranging from the size of a marble up to large sports balls. The balls of energy can be detonated as well as absorbed, with Tabitha able to control the detonation time.

Boom Boom also uses wrist launchers alongside her power, so that she can project her plasma energy across great distances with explosive force. Boom Boom is one of the only mutants that managed to keep her powers after the House of M story-line, but she is yet to appear in any films and has not been rumoured for any future castings.

11) X-23

Laura Kinney, better known as X-23, is a very popular character within the Marvel universe. A deadly clone of Wolverine, X-23 is an adamantium-clawed assassin with the power to heal. Introduced to the world in a similar way to DC Comic’s Harley Quinn, Laura was first introduced via a TV show. The character’s popularity led to her story being integrated into the comics, and she still remains widely admired today. Starting out life as a Weapon X experimentation, Laura did not become a part of the X-Force family until the “Messiah Complex” story-line. During the story-arc, Cyclops assembled a new X-Force team that included X-23, Wolverine, Wolfsbane, Warpath, Caliban and Hepzibah.

X-23 has already appeared on the big screen recently, played to perfection by Dafne Keen in Logan, but both James Mangold and Bryan Singer have said they would like to see the character in future films.

10) Pete Wisdom

Pete Wisdom is a mutant secret agent created by Marvel and Warren Ellis in 1995. His powers include the ability to absorb heat and solar radiation which he then stores and uses to create solid, hot knives. The hot knives are said to be hotter than the sun, and can be thrown as projectiles or be left attached to Pete’s fingertips for hand-to-hand combat. The thermal energy can also be used to create an updraft that slow descents from high jumps. Pete started out as an agent for the British government organisation “Black Air”, a group that conducted research and investigation of supernatural phenomena.

Pete first encountered the X-Force team after a romance with Kitty Pryde led him to Genosha, and at one point was even a leader of the team before faking his death and joining MI:13. Now the director of MI:13 he handles supernatural threats alongside team members Captain Britain, Black Knight, Blade, Faiza Hussain and Spitfire.

9) Shatterstar

Gaveedra-Seven, better known as the mutant Shatterstar, is another New Mutants character that was one of Liefeld and Nicieza’s original X-Force team. Shatterstar is a time travelling warrior from the planet Mojoworld, which is based 200 years in the future. Created as a slave for the planet’s ruler Mojo, Shatterstar was genetically enhanced to serve as an arena gladiator for television entertainment. Joining the Cadre Alliance to overthrow Mojo’s dictatorship, Gaveedra was sent back in time to Earth to find the X-Men, but instead he found Cable who was in the process of assembling his first X-Force team. With Cable’s promise that they would help him defeat Mojo, Shatterstar became a core member of the team.

Shatterstar’s mutant power includes the ability to generate powerful vibratory shock waves, which can then be channelled through metal weapons to release bolts of energy. Through genetic engineering, he also has superhuman strength, agility, reflexes, stamina, flexibility, and intelligence.

8) Sunspot

Roberto da Costa’s power first manifested when he was only 14 years old during a championship football match in Brazil. Sunspot was not one of the original Liefeld line-up, but was added to the X-Force roster early on. Roberto’s cells have the ability to absorb solar energy and convert it for use as physical strength, convert it into a thrust that enables flight, or re-channel it as heat or infrared radiation. When in a powered up form, Bobby’s body turns an entirely non-reflective black colour except for his eyes, which turn a solid bright white.

Roberto’s powers were also enhanced when Gideon subjected him to experimentation. Sunspot has already had his cinematic debut back in 2014 in X-Men: Days of Future Past and is set to star in the upcoming New Mutants film (rumoured to be played by Henry Zaga), but as another character who is a core X-Force member, he also deserves an important role in an X-Force film.

7) Wolfsbane

Wolfsbane is a Scottish animalistic mutant known as Rahne Sinclair, and is another founding member of the New Mutants. Just like X-23, Wolfsbane did not become a member of X-Force until the “Messiah Complex” story-arc. Her powers include transforming from a half-human half-wolf similar in looks to a werewolf, into a full wolf-like character. Unlike some other shape-shifting mutants, Wolfsbane is able to retain aspects of her human intelligence whilst in animal form.

Wolfsbane has been a part of many of the main Marvel teams, including New Mutants, X-Factor, X-Force and even a spell as a teacher at Xavier’s academy. Wolfsbane is a character that will be seen for the first time on the big screen in the upcoming New Mutants film. Set to be played by Maisie Williams, we will see the Game of Thrones star transform from the actress we know into a super furry animal.

6) Psylocke

Elizabeth ‘Betsy’ Braddock, also known as Psylocke, is one of the most popular ladies from the X-Men team. Psylocke was initially just a supporting character for her twin brother Captain Britain, even briefly substituted for him in the role, before becoming an X-Men member in 1986. She did not become a member of X-Force until being a part of Wolverine’s team in 2010’s Uncanny X-Force. Betsy started out life as a telepath, but after she had her mind placed in the body of the Japanese ninja Kwannon, she gained a high level of fighting skills, and future story-lines also gave her the power of telekinesis.

Psylocke is another character that has already been seen on the big screen, but her lack lustre appearance left fans disappointed that they did not get to see the powerful Psylocke they know and love.

5) Cannonball

Samuel Zachary Guthrie is another Claremont New Mutants creation that first appeared in 1982. A founding member of Cable’s first X-Force team, Cannonball was chosen as Cable’s second in command and even developed a father-son relationship with him. Cannonball’s powers include the ability to generate thermo-chemical energy and release it to thrust his body through the air like a rocket. Originally only able to release this energy from his feet and legs, Sam can now fire it from almost any part of his body and control his speed and direction.

Charlie Heaton has been cast to play Cannonball in the New Mutants film, but with Cable cast in Deadpool 2 and the third Deadpool film rumoured to be an X-Force film, fans deserve to see Cannonball star alongside Cable as X-Force’s co-leader.

4) Warpath

James Proudstar is a mutant of Apache descent, and another of the original X-Force crew. First appearing as the second Thunderbird, it wasn’t until he joined X-Force that he took up the name Warpath. Appearing in New Mutants but starting out as a Hellion, he joined the team of villains to get revenge for his brother Thunderbird’s death. Eventually realizing that the X-Men were not responsible, he dropped his revenge quest but declined the offer to join Xavier’s team of New Mutants.

After leaving the Hellions to return home to Camp Verde, he was approached by Cable to join X-Force. Having been a member of both the original and newer X-Force teams, Warpath is an essential part of the squad. His powers include enhanced strength, speed, durability, reflexes, senses and later on, the ability to fly. Another mutant who appeared in X-Men: Days of Future Past, there is much more about his character that can be explored.

3) Feral

Feral is another super furry character who lives up to her name in looks and by nature. Created by Rob Liefeld, she has appeared as both a superhero and supervillain, but is perhaps most well known for her stint with the X-Force team. Feral is an ailuranthropic mutant who went from being a member of the Morlocks where she hid in the sewers, to one of the founding members of Liefeld and Nicieza’s X-Force team. Her mutation that means that she is covered in light orange feline fur, as well as sharp claws, fangs, pointed ears and a prehensile tail.

Aside from her visual mutation, she has super acute senses, enhanced strength, speed, agility, reflexes, balance, coordination and endurance and healing capabilities. Also known as Maria Callasantos, Feral’s ferocious nature caused her to kill members of her family when her mutation first manifested, as well as coming to blows with, and even betraying, her team mates. This superhuman ball of anger would be an interesting character for any actress to portray on screen.

2) Domino

Neena Thurman’s first appearance as a member of X-Force was actually that of imposter Copy-Cat, as Domino was a prisoner of the super villain Tolliver for over a year before being rescued by Cable and the rest of the team. A result of a top-secret government breeding program known as Project: Armageddon, Domino survived due to her “lucky” mutation. Her abilities include being able to subconsciously and psionically initiate telekinetic acts that affect probability to be in her favour and make improbable things occur within her line of sight.

As well as being a skilled marksman and athlete, part of her mutation is that she has chalk white skin and a black patch around her left eye. Another character who has been part of both the original and newer X-Force teams, Domino will be appearing in Deadpool 2. She will be played by actress Zazie Beetz, and the combination of Deadpool, Cable and Domino is sure to bring some entertaining and action filled scenarios to the film, as well as securing the future of the X-Force movie.

1) Cable

You don’t get a more well-known member of the X-Force team than the founder and leader Cable. Cable, also known as Nathan Summers, is Cyclops’s time-traveling son with Jean Grey’s clone Madelyne Pryor. He is also the half brother of Rachel Summers and Nate Grey. A mutant born with vast psychic power, most often manifested in the forms of telepathy and telekinesis, he was infected with the deadly techno-organic virus at a young age which he kept at bay using his advanced psionic powers. Born in the present, he was sent to the future and raised as a super powered warrior with the sole purpose of returning to the past and prevent the apocalyptic future he was raised in from ever happening.

After the end-credits teaser in the first Deadpool film that Cable would be appearing in Deadpool 2, big named actors were desperate to play the role, showing off their muscles and likeness to the character on their social media accounts. Fox decided to go with the younger looking Josh Brolin in the end, who has been signed on for four films with the company as the character, which leads to speculation of a possible X-Force film trilogy.

The writer of this piece was: Louise Saul (aka Tiny Tigress Cosplay)
Louise Tweets from @AikiSaul