The Devil's Near-Miss: 7 Shocking Reasons Mephisto Was Almost The Main Villain In Deadpool & Wolverine

The speculation is finally over, but the reality is even more shocking. As of December 15, 2025, the biggest Marvel movie of the year, *Deadpool & Wolverine*, has officially come and gone, leaving a trail of shattered timelines and fan theories in its wake. While the main antagonist ultimately proved to be Cassandra Nova, the cosmic buzz surrounding the potential inclusion of Marvel's notorious Devil, Mephisto, was far from baseless. Director Shawn Levy and star Ryan Reynolds confirmed that the demonic entity was seriously considered for the central villain role, a decision that would have fundamentally altered the entire trajectory of the Multiverse Saga. This deep dive explores the confirmed near-miss, the comic book context, and the chilling implications of Mephisto's almost-debut in the MCU. The decision to pivot from Mephisto to the psychic terror of Cassandra Nova was a creative choice that speaks volumes about the film's intended narrative and its function within the Time Variance Authority (TVA) storyline. The Merc with a Mouth's entry into the MCU was always going to be chaotic, but the choice of villain reveals a calculated strategy to bridge the X-Men legacy with the overarching Multiverse narrative, while reserving the ultimate Devil for a later, grander scheme.

Mephisto: The Near-Miss Villain Profile and Comic Book History

Mephisto, a character created by Stan Lee and John Buscema, first appeared in *Silver Surfer #3* in December 1968. He is a powerful demonic entity, essentially the Devil of the Marvel Universe, who rules a fiery pocket dimension he calls "Hell" or "Mephisto's Realm."

• First Appearance: *Silver Surfer #3* (December 1968)
• Creators: Stan Lee and John Buscema
• Base of Operations: Mephisto's Realm (a Hell-like dimension)
• Powers & Abilities: Immortality, vast mystical power, reality manipulation, soul manipulation, shapeshifting, and illusion casting.
• Key Comic Book Connections:
  • Spider-Man: Famously erased Peter Parker and Mary Jane's marriage in the *One More Day* storyline.
  • Ghost Rider: Responsible for the origins of both Johnny Blaze and Danny Ketch's Ghost Rider personas.
  • The Multiverse Saga: In comics, he has been shown to engineer multiversal wars and manipulate events across different realities.
• MCU Rumored Appearance: Heavily rumored for *WandaVision* and currently speculated to be played by Sacha Baron Cohen in the upcoming *Ironheart* series (2025).

Mephisto's primary motivation is the acquisition of souls and the manipulation of powerful heroes and villains. His comic book history makes him a perfect candidate for any story involving cosmic stakes, alternate realities, or desperate deals—all elements central to Deadpool's journey with the TVA.

Why the Creators 'Flirted' with Marvel's Devil

Director Shawn Levy and Ryan Reynolds openly discussed how seriously they considered Mephisto, confirming that they "flirted" with the idea of making him the main antagonist. The reason for this consideration is rooted in the film’s core themes and the MCU’s current phase.

1. The Perfect TVA Connection

The Time Variance Authority (TVA) is the bureaucratic organization responsible for monitoring the Sacred Timeline and pruning dangerous branches. Mephisto, as a demonic entity who profits from chaos and the breaking of cosmic rules, would be a natural enemy to the TVA’s order. His desire to collect souls and manipulate timelines aligns perfectly with the Multiverse Saga’s focus on reality-breaking events. A villain who actively tries to exploit the Multiverse for ultimate power is exactly what the TVA is designed to stop.

2. The "Deal with the Devil" Trope

Deadpool is a character known for his fourth-wall breaks, meta-commentary, and morally gray choices. Introducing Mephisto would have allowed for the ultimate meta-commentary: a literal "deal with the Devil" to save the Fox X-Men universe or restore Wolverine's path. This trope is a staple of Mephisto’s comic history, most notably with Spider-Man, and would have offered a darkly comedic, high-stakes narrative engine for the film.

3. Fan Service and Misdirection

For years, Mephisto has been the subject of intense fan speculation, particularly since *WandaVision*. His near-inclusion in *Deadpool & Wolverine* was likely a nod to this ongoing fan theory, possibly intended as a massive, satisfying reveal. By considering him, the creators acknowledged the fan desire to see the character debut in the MCU.

The Creative Pivot: Why Cassandra Nova Won Out

Despite the compelling reasons for Mephisto's inclusion, the creative team ultimately decided to use Cassandra Nova, Professor X's evil twin sister, as the main antagonist. This decision was not a rejection of Mephisto, but rather a strategic choice to serve the specific needs of *Deadpool & Wolverine*.

4. A More Personal, X-Men-Centric Conflict

Cassandra Nova’s power is directly tied to Charles Xavier and the X-Men mythos. She is a Mummudrai, a parasitic entity born without a body, and represents the dark mirror of Professor X's dream. By choosing Nova, the film was able to deliver a deeply personal conflict for Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), tying his journey to the destruction of the X-Men universe and the emotional weight of his past. A cosmic Devil would have diluted this intimate, character-driven story.

5. Preserving Mephisto for a Grand Finale

The persistent rumor that Sacha Baron Cohen is set to play Mephisto in *Ironheart* suggests that Marvel Studios is saving the character for a much larger, more impactful role in the Multiverse Saga. Mephisto is a villain on the level of Doctor Doom or Kang the Conqueror, capable of being the main threat in an *Avengers* film. Using him as the villain in a *Deadpool* movie, even one as important as this, might have diminished his eventual debut and power level.

6. The Perfect Contrast to Deadpool's Chaos

Cassandra Nova, with her telepathic and telekinetic powers, provided a unique and physical threat that contrasted well with Deadpool’s fourth-wall-breaking chaos. Her presence as the ruler of The Void—the dumping ground for pruned timelines—made her a tangible, immediate threat to the surviving relics of the Multiverse, including the various Wolverine variants.

The Lingering Question: Did Mephisto Still Influence the Plot?

Even though Mephisto was not the main villain, the possibility remains that his influence was felt subtly throughout the film, a common thread in the MCU’s use of powerful, unseen entities.

7. The Paradox of The Void

The Void, the desolate landscape at the end of time, is where the TVA dumps pruned timelines and their remnants. While Cassandra Nova rules this area, the question remains: who created the TVA in the first place? While "He Who Remains" (a Kang variant) was the original creator, the TVA's ultimate purpose is to serve a higher power. Mephisto, with his multiversal scheming and desire to break through the God Quarry, could still be a puppet master, a silent partner to a greater evil, or the ultimate beneficiary of the TVA’s chaos. The "deal" that Deadpool makes with Mr. Paradox, the TVA agent, has the subtle, Faustian undertones that Mephisto would appreciate, suggesting that while he may not be on screen, his thematic presence as the ultimate manipulator remains. The near-miss of Mephisto in *Deadpool & Wolverine* confirms that the MCU is fully aware of the fan demand and the character's importance. By choosing Cassandra Nova, they delivered a focused, X-Men-heavy story while keeping the Devil in the shadows, ready to make his dramatic, universe-shaking debut when the Multiverse Saga reaches its true climax.