Following months of rumors and industry murmurs, it appears that the coveted role of Cable in the forthcoming Deadpool 2 has officially landed in the hands of Josh Brolin. The Hollywood Reporter was the first to note Wednesday morning that the Oscar-nominated Milk actor has reached a deal with Fox to spar against Ryan Reynolds’ Merc with a Mouth following an exhaustive period where a great many actors appeared in contention.

As was reported along the way, actors including Michael Shannon (Nocturnal Animals), Stranger Things breakout David Harbour and Kyle Chandler (Carol) were all either courted, shortlisted or rumored to be up for the part; The Hollywood Reporter suggested that heavyweights like Brad Pitt and Russell Crowe were also rumored for consideration as well. The role of Cable, itself, likely brought cause for a wide net of options and considerations, seeing that the role perhaps requires a certain gravitas: Cable is observed in Marvel lure as the antithesis to Deadpool – a malevolent, calculated and controlled figure, he is also the future self of X-Men member Scott Summers (Cyclops). The character was originally created by Rob Liefeld and writer Louise Simonson.

Brolin joins a returning Reynolds and rising actress Zazie Beetz (Atlanta), who recently boarded in the film as the super-powered Domino. David Leitch (John Wick) is taking over directing duties for the sequel, which is slated to start in Vancouver this June.

Curiously, Cable marks Brolin’s second Marvel role, muddying the waters more so in the dividing line between the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Fox’s wing of the Marvel brand – Brolin also portrays elevated Big Bad Thanos in MCU entries. Reynolds, in appropriately cheeky fashion, commented on the casting news.

The fuck, Fox! You can’t play 2 characters in the same universe!! Josh Brolin was in Sicario and I was in Sabrina The Teenage Witch. pic.twitter.com/AQCRp1aWKg

— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) April 12, 2017

Brolin last appeared on screen in Hail, Caesar!, from Joel and Ethan Coen. He will soon appear in the upcoming Sicario sequel Soldado as well as the docudrama Granite Mountain. He is currently filming Avengers: Infinity War.