As fans await to see if Deadpool can cash in on any of its prestigious awards nominations, 20th Century Fox has started to put the pieces together on the sequel, Deadpool 2. The dynamic trio of star/producer Ryan Reynolds and co-writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick are all returning, and this time director David Leitch will be the one calling the shots (after Tim Miller left the project). Reportedly, the plan is to begin principal photography in June 2017. Fox has yet to confirm an official release date, so the creative team is in seemingly no rush to get things rolling.

Though Deadpool 2 will not feature any "A-list" X-Men in cameos, it does sport a killer cast. Wade Wilson will be joined once again by the likes of Colossus, Negasonic Teenage Warhead, Dopinder the taxi driver, and others from the original film. Of course, there is one noteworthy newcomer who will appear in the sequel. As the Merc With a Mouth broke in Deadpool's post-credits scene, Cable is going to be a key supporting character. The top priority for the filmmakers right now is to find the best actor to play the time traveling mutant.

Ever since Cable's involvement was announced, fans have offered their suggestions for the part, while the rumor mill has churned up names ranging from Kyle Chandler to Pierce Brosnan. Viewers are eagerly anticipating the casting, and the process is still ongoing. In fact, the part is one that is in considerably high demand amongst the inner circles of Hollywood, according to Deadpool and Cable creator Rob Liefeld. He tweeted the following, referring to Cable as the "hottest role" in the industry right now:

Here's what I know. Cable is the hottest role in Hollywood. The line goes out the door and off the lot. Believe it!— robertliefeld (@robertliefeld) January 18, 2017

This should not come as a surprise to moviegoers. Deadpool surprised many with how overwhelmingly successful it was, grossing a record (for an R-rated film) $783.1 million worldwide while earning numerous accolades. Now that everyone knows it's a major property, several people are interested in taking part in it. No potential shortlists have been revealed just yet, though it sounds like there is a bevy of options. Having a plethora of actors to choose from is a daunting task for Leitch and company, but hopefully that will allow them to make a more informed decision. If they were struggling to generate interest, then they'd have to make the best of things and perhaps go with someone who isn't the strongest fit for Cable. There's a good chance the character will factor into the franchise down the road (the X-Force movie), so it's important to carefully weigh all the possibilities.

If Deadpool 2 is to stay on target for its shooting schedule, Cable will have to be found sooner rather than later. Reese and Wernick are waiting to see which actor is brought on board before completing the script (so they can write Cable for a specific thespian), so hopefully they don't have to wait much longer. Against all odds, Deadpool has become the surest bet in Fox's X-Men catalog, so everyone would like to keep the forward momentum rolling in the near future.

NEXT: Fan Art Of Pierce Brosnan as Cable

Source: Rob Liefeld