Add one more name to the ever-growing list of actors who want to be considered for the role of time-traveling mutant Cable in the next Deadpool movie. Adam Copeland, known to wrestling fans as “Edge,” may have just tossed his hat into the ring.
A fan recently tweeted him, “I’d like to see @EdgeRatedR as Cable for the @deadpool movie sequel. Think it would be really interesting. #Marvel” to which Copeland responded:
Yeah I could behind that https://t.co/AFsGw8ce6d
— Adam (Edge) Copeland (@EdgeRatedR) May 27, 2016
Now, before you let fly with the common (but often incorrect) assumption that wrestlers can’t act, let’s look at a few facts.
DISCLAIMER – Cable is my all-time favorite comic character, and I am also a wrestling fan. Edge was one of the best in the ring. So I am all kinds of biased here. Just wanted to be honest.
Now then, let’s weigh this out.
Pros: Copeland *is,* in fact, an experienced actor. Besides his time spent playing one of the best characters in wrestling history, he paid his dues in Hollywood, working his way up from bit parts in bad sci-fi to starring roles in a few independent comedies. But the best show of his range is his time spent playing supernaturally afflicted police chief Dwight Hendrickson on the brilliant drama “Haven” for four seasons. The long-suffering cop ran the gamut of emotions and situations, from the painful loss of his young daughter, to the curse that put his life in jeopardy every moment of the day, to his darkly humorous interactions with townspeople, criminals, and his fellow officers. I was pleasantly surprised by how well he held up to playing one of the central characters in a thoroughly unique show for several seasons.
Next, there’s his size and physicality. At 6’6, he’s a very imposing presence, and has a long history of doing things a hell of a lot more dangerous than his own stunts. And while he retired from ring work a few years ago, he has kept himself in excellent shape since.
The final point in his favor is charisma. It just oozes from this guy. Whether playing a ridiculous joke, delivering a blistering monologue, or murdering his opposition with a mere glance, you believe what you see from him. It’s one of those “it factor” intangibles that an actor either possesses, or doesn’t. He does.
Cons: Despite the aforementioned 6’6 frame, Copeland is rather lanky. While actors regularly lose or gain weight for roles, you can’t change your body type. And Cable’s type is built like a fucking tank. At his canonically accepted size of 6’8, 350, he has more than a hundred pounds on his potential portrayer. Nobody wants to see bulky padding or fake CGI muscles on Marvel’s baddest badass. It needs to be organic and believable.
Then there’s the age factor. Cable is a grizzled warrior, generally portrayed as being between 50 and 60 years old. Copeland is just 42, and could easily pass for younger than that. The actor cast in the role needs to convincingly convey the world-weariness of a man who has literally spent his entire life at war. While I don’t doubt that his talent is up to the task, I’m not so sure about his appearance.
Finally, there’s the flip side of his size and strength – a long list of nagging injuries, including the broken vertebrae that caused him to retire from wrestling before he found a way to paralyze himself. This could possibly impede action shots and stunts to the point that his stand-in might have equal screen time.
So, now that we’ve had a chance to go over the good, the bad, and the ugly about Adam Copeland, what do you think his chances are of landing the role? Let us know in the comments!
Source: Twitter