Much of the hype surrounding the movie can easily be attributed to the fact that Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool has struck the right chord with fans. Following the universally panned debut of the character in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Reynolds has spearheaded Deadpool’s cinematic redemption, helping to pen two movies that deliver a far more comic-accurate rendition of Deadpool that has since garnered a fervent fan base. This has turned Deadpool into a bankable franchise – and now it’s in the hands of the MCU, Deadpool & Wolverine’s box office may be poised to shoot even higher.

A Deadpool & Wolverine theory explains why Wade Wilson’s two mutant friends are missing from the MCU movie. Shawn Levy’s upcoming Deadpool & Wolverine brings the two titular X-Men heroes into the MCU, incorporating Fox’s X-Men continuity into the wider MCU multiverse.

Besides Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, the Deadpool & Wolverine cast includes multiple actors in cameo roles, most of which are being kept secret until the movie’s release. Speculation around which Marvel characters could be featured in Deadpool & Wolverine runs wild among fans, but not all X-Men characters are equally likely to appear.

Despite the fact that Deadpool stole Cable’s time-traveling device in Deadpool 2’s post-credits scene, Josh Brolin’s cable doesn’t seem to play a role in the sequel. Likewise, Deadpool’s X-Force teammate Domino won’t appear in Deadpool & Wolverine, as confirmed by actor Zazie Beetz herself. Cable and Domino’s absence is odd considering Deadpool 2’s ending, where Deadpool finished assembling his own mutant team with both anti-heroes.

It’s possible that Cable and Domino died at some point between the events of Deadpool 2 and Deadpool & Wolverine, but it’s also possible that they’re absent because they outsmarted Deadpool.