Ryan Reynolds attempted to have Nicolas Cage in Deadpool & Wolverine as an iconic Marvel character

Ryan Reynolds has revealed he attempted to have Nicolas Cage join Deadpool & Wolverine as Ghost Rider.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly's Awardist podcast, Reynolds, 48, explained he pitched the film to the actor - but Cage, 60, ended up being a 'no-go.'

Nicolas first played the Marvel superhero in 2007's Ghost Rider before returning in 2011 for Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance. 

Reynolds and Marvel concept artist Rodney Fuentebella described how Ghost Rider was one of many Marvel heroes appearing in an early-stage illustration for the film's Deadpool Corps. fight sequence.

The scene was of an army of Deadpool variants battling it out with Wade Wilson (Reynolds), Logan (Hugh Jackman), Blade (Wesley Snipes), Elektra (Jennifer Garner), Johnny Storm (Chris Evans), Ghost Rider and Ben Affleck's Daredevil.

'This was in the beginning stages of the making of the film so a lot changed,' Fuentebella said.

'They were in early drafts,' Reynolds said of Cage and Affleck. 'We had versions of that [sequence], but then as it shook out, you're sort of looking...We're trying to make the movie responsibly, as well.

'It's a big budget. It's the biggest budget of any of the Deadpool movies, but you want to give yourself as much constraint, which really I think facilitates asymmetrical thinking and creativity.

'If you have too much time or too much money, it usually murders that kind of creativity. So, yeah, you're shrinking things.'

Reynolds said they did make an attempt to cast Nicolas in the film.

'But we did talk to Nic Cage,' he said. 'We tried to get him, but he was a no-go.... I would've loved him.'

Director Shawn Levy said overall many stars were happy to join the film and credited Reynolds for making this happen.

'Luckily, we got a lot of yeses,' Levy said. Among those who agreed were Snipes, Garner, Evans, Henry Cavill, Channing Tatum, and Dafne Keen.

'Mostly because Ryan would just call them directly,' he said. 'He'd often do an ambush FaceTime and put them on the spot.'

The latest installment in the Deadpool series, Deadpool & Wolverine, was released earlier this year and co-starred Jackman.

It featured a cameo from none other than Reynolds' wife Blake Lively as Lady Deadpool. 

Reynolds recently revealed his plans on writing a non-Marvel film that will reunite him with Jackman and director Levy. 

'I’m spending the year writing,' Reynolds said during an interview with Variety. 

'I’m writing a movie for myself, Hugh (Jackman) and Shawn (Levy) to do that is not Marvel,' Reynolds said. 

The actor offered no other details about the project.