WWE superstar Randy Orton says he auditioned for Deadpool 2: "In my head, I was gonna be Cable"

Randy Orton
(Image credit: Getty Images)

WWE superstar Randy Orton has revealed that he once auditioned to play Cable in Deadpool 2, a role that ultimately went to Josh Brolin.

On the What Do You Wanna Talk About? podcast with Cody Rhodes, Orton recalled the time he sent in an audition tape for the 2018 Deadpool sequel – and was adamant he was going to book the part.

"I read for Cable and in my head, boy, I was gonna be Cable," Orton – a 14-time world champion with a handful of acting credits – said.

"I was like, 'This is it.' Nope. No callback, nothing. Josh Brolin gets it. Of course Josh Brolin gets it," Orton jokingly said. "I kind of realized then, 'OK, I can send in these auditions, but I'm a pro wrestler, you know?"

Deadpool 2 – starring Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Zazie Beetz, and Morena Baccarin – featured Reynolds' Merc with the Mouth teaming up with the reluctant Cable, a time-travelling soldier, to put a stop to a series of future events that would result in Cable's family being murdered.

The sequel grossed $785 million at the box office, a figure later dwarved by the billion-dollar phenomenon of Deadpool and Wolverine, which featured Hugh Jackman's return as the X-Men icon.

Deadpool and Wolverine is now officially the highest-grossing R-Rated movie of all time, surpassing Joker's box office total of $1.079 billion. For more from the MCU movie, check out our breakdowns of the Deadpool and Wolverine cameos and Deadpool and Wolverine Easter eggs.

Then take a look ahead to the MCU's exciting future with our guide to upcoming Marvel movies.

Bradley Russell

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.