Director James Mangold and actors Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman were quick to shoot down a report in December that Deadpool makes an appearance in "Logan." But while that tumor turned out -- thankfully, perhaps -- not to be true, that doesn't mean the filmmaker didn't consider cameos by some familiar faces.

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Asked by We Got This Covered whether there were ever plans for a Deadpool role, the filmmaker didn't exactly answer the question, but he did reveal the third Wolverine movie could've had a different tone, and a somewhat-larger cast.

"There were times early on in the story where I played with the idea of Hugh coming along, and I don’t want to give away anything, but I played with there being an underground railroad where there were a couple of other mutants that he met on the journey," he said. "It always seemed to detract from the loneliness of the story though and became a kind of cameo. Still, there was always a curiosity."

That would've undoubtedly pleased the franchise faithful, who are eager for Easter eggs -- to say nothing of an on-screen reunion between Jackman and Reynolds (although it's important to point out that Mangold doesn't actually refer to the Merc With a Mouth).

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"I’m so cautious of it, though," the director continued, "despite how much fans want it to happen. You find these moments where you’re trying to please people and write these scenes where they’ll bump into somebody but it always just seems like an awkward cameo unless you can make it fit organically and the character is integral to the story."

Reynolds fueled desire for a Deadpool/Wolverine team-up in December when he called upon his "internet friends" to help convince Jackman to agree to a reunion. The "Deadpool" star still holds out hope for such a project, but Jackman has said "the timing may be wrong," as he plans for "Logan" to be his final appearance as Wolverine.

“Logan” is set in the near future, years after the epilogue of 2014’s “X-Men: Days of Future Past.” In it, a weary Logan, whose healing factor is failing, cares for an ailing Professor X in a hideout on the Mexican border. But Logan’s attempts to hide from the world and his legacy are up-ended when a young mutant arrives, pursued by dark forces.

Opening March 3, the film stars Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Richard E. Grant, Boyd Holbrook, Stephen Merchant, Dafne Keen, Eriq La Salle, Elise Neal and Elizabeth Rodriguez.