In a cinematic world laden with grandeur and special effects, at times it’s the unexpected appearances that make us clasping our popcorn boxes with giddiness, isn’t it? And when it comes to magnetic cameos, "Deadpool & Wolverine" seized the movie universe with an unprecedented fervor.

Now spare your jaws from that dramatic drop, you movie nerd. Sure, the nostalgic appearances of Wesley Snipes, Jennifer Garner, Channing Tatum, Dafne Keen, and Chris Evans indeed created those "Oh, Sweet!" moments for Marvel fans. Each reprised their legacy Marvel characters, sparking waves of cinema nostalgia. But to add a little spice to our gossip, director Shawn Levy let the cat out of the bag by revealing those who didn’t make the cameo cut.

The Curious Case of Professor Charles Xavier

You might recall the whispers in the wind about Sir Patrick Stewart slipping back into the chair of the formidable Professor X. Well, here’s a reality check. Levy, while chatting on Josh Horowitz’s Happy Sad Confused podcast, casually tossed this piece of juicy intel – Stewart returning for Deadpool & Wolverine was "never even discussed." Quite a blow for the rumour mill, eh? Levy, however, tipped the hat to actress Emma Corin, who as Xavier’s evil twin Cassandra Nova, took cues from Stewart’s performance.

What About Sabretooth?

In a twist of fate, Liev Schreiber, though tied with Levy in another project, didn’t receive an invite to reprise his role as Sabretooth. The reason? A clear case of writer’s preference. Film scribe Zeb Wells had a soft spot for the Tyler Mane version of the feral mutant killer from the inaugural X-Men film.

Snubbing the Original X-Men Cast

Here’s something equally astonishing – Halle Berry, James Marsden, Famke Janssen, and Anna Paquin, who swaggered as Storm, Cyclops, Jean Grey, and Rogue, remained off Levy’s list. Hints are ripe that Marvel’s honcho Kevin Feige plans to "retire them" in another project.

Another Professor X in the Crosshair

Then there’s James McAvoy, yet another face of Charles, whose invitation got lost in the mail. To his credit, he was a good sport about signing off his footage for the closing credits montage.

Nicolas Cage as Ghost Rider? Nah!

Lastly, Ryan Reynolds confirmed a chat about Nicolas Cage potentially returning as Ghost Rider. But despite fan speculations, these conversations seem to have gone down the rabbit hole. Reynolds’s cryptic “It came to a conversation for sure. Yeah, but no” about Cage’s Ghost Rider return was akin to opening Pandora’s box and then slamming it shut.

As we grapple with these omissions, we are left to ponder other potential cut cameos or overlooked characters. Rest easy, movie buffs, Avengers: Secret Wars might still throw a few surprises our way, offering us another taste of old Marvel cameos. If past is prologue, it’s never too late to revisit our favorite Marvel heroes.

But on a lighter note, it seems Levy’s phonebook might need some serious updating. But then again, who are we to question the enigmatic world of cameos?