Deadpool & Wolverine is poised to become one of Marvel’s biggest blockbusters since it pays tribute to an era with a number of reprises. Halle Berry, who played Storm in 20th Century Fox’s X-Men, did not reprise her role.
Spoiler Alert: This story contains spoilers for “Deadpool & Wolverine,” currently in theaters.
In a recent interview with ComicBook.com, Berry revealed that Ryan Reynolds never approached her about reprising her iconic role from the X-Men franchise in the latest Marvel release. The film featured other 20th Century Fox superheroes such as Jennifer Garner’s Elektra and Wesley Snipes’ Blade.
When asked about the possibility of playing Storm again, Berry responded, “No.” She recalled a brief conversation with Blake Lively at a Marc Jacobs fashion show where Lively inquired, “Would you ever be in my husband’s movie as Storm?” Berry’s reply was simple, “Yeah, if he asked me,” but the call from Reynolds never came.”
After the revelation, the conversation touched on the turmoil behind the scenes during the production of “X-Men: The Last Stand.” Director Matthew Vaughn, who was initially in talks to helm the project before being replaced by Brett Ratner, shared a troubling experience that led him to step away. Vaughn recounted discovering a draft of the script that included a powerful scene where Storm saves children in Africa by creating a thunderstorm.
However, he was told that this was merely a ploy to convince Berry to sign on to the film, with the intention of discarding the scene once she agreed. Disillusioned by the studio’s tactics, Vaughn walked away from the project, stating, “If you’re going to do that to an Oscar-winning actress who plays Storm, I quit.”
Ultimately, Berry did return as Storm in “X-Men: The Last Stand,” though the final film did not include any of the African scenes from the script Vaughn had encountered. However, the movie did give Storm a more central role, positioning her as the new leader of Charles Xavier’s school for mutants following his death. Despite the changes, Berry’s portrayal of Storm remains a defining part of the “X-Men” legacy, even if she was overlooked for Marvel’s latest ensemble.
In honor of Catwoman’s 20th anniversary, Halle Berry recently paid tribute to the role on social media.