“He’s like the Mad King wanting to burn everything”: X-Men Star’s Return in ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Foreshadows an Evil Twist in the MCU Film
- Aaron Stanford is back as Pyro, now a supervillain in ‘Deadpool & Wolverine.’
- Pyro’s new look is based on the 'Ultimate X-Men' comics.
- Stanford had a blast working with the confident cast and crew.
Comic book movie fans are really enthusiastic. Before, small details like an actor’s accent or a character’s outfit might not have mattered much. But now, with superhero movies being so popular, fans care a lot about sticking to the comic book details. This makes it tricky for actors who return to roles that have changed a lot from the original comics.
This is exactly what’s happening with Aaron Stanford, who is returning as Pyro in the new film Deadpool & Wolverine. Stanford first played Pyro in 2003’s X2: X-Men United, where the character was a rebellious student at Xavier’s school, quite different from the classic X-Men villain.
Aaron Stanford is Excited by His Character’s New Villainous Look
The X2: X-Men United focused more on Pyro’s (Aaron Stanford) personal story, which wasn’t part of the original comics. While this made his character interesting, it didn’t stick closely to the source material.
Fast forward twenty years, and superhero movies have changed a lot. Now, staying true to the comics is crucial, and even big stars like Hugh Jackman are wearing their comic-accurate costumes for the first time. This change is also true for Pyro’s return.
Stanford is hugely excited about Deadpool & Wolverine because of this reason. The old version of Pyro as a grounded student is gone. Instead, he’s now a supervillain wearing a fire-resistant suit inspired by the Ultimate X-Men comics, which is a big change from the regular clothes Pyro wore in the earlier films. The actor told Den of Geek:
This is the first time Pyro has a proper superhero outfit, one specifically from the Ultimate X-Men series. He’s gone completely mad. He’s like the Mad King wanting to burn everything. His face is scarred up from a lifetime of playing with fire and getting too close to it. He’s got these red goggles that he wears and an almost firefighter-like suit from the apocalypse. It’s an anti-firefighter suit.
Pyro’s new costume helped Stanford figure out his character’s new story, where he and other Marvel heroes are trapped in the Void, as seen in Loki’s TV show.
Confident Team Made Deadpool Uncomplicated For Aaron Stanford
Aaron Stanford explained to the same outlet that, despite any difficulties, he never felt overwhelmed while making the film—thanks to the confidence of Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, and director Shawn Levy. He described how they remained in control of the film, even during improvisation.
Reynolds, known for his improvisational approach, was always sure of what would work. Stanford admired how the team was clear about their direction, even when adjusting lines and experimenting.
The 47-year-old admitted that keeping the right tone and meeting fan expectations might seem tricky. But for him, it was all about having a blast. He was excited and thankful for the opportunity, and didn’t feel weighed down by pressure. Instead, the X-Men star looked forward to the ride, knowing it would be a lot of fun no matter what.
Deadpool & Wolverine premiers in theaters on July 26!
