Long before Ryan Reynolds made the character a household name, Deadpool fans had a long wait to see the Marvel anti-hero done right. Reynolds infamously played a bizarre version of the Merc with the Mouth in X-Men Origins: Wolverine before reprising the role seven years later.
And now that Disney has acquired Fox, Deadpool’s future remains — for the moment, at least — somewhat unclear. So, in the meantime, fans are speculating about how the character could be adapted for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And one idea involves a popular Game of Thrones star.
Ryan Reynolds still hasn’t joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe
Before we get to the latest Deadpool rumor, it’s worth exploring exactly what the character’s status is right now. Following the Disney-Fox deal, fans assumed this meant Deadpool would soon join the MCU in some form or another. Yet, over a year has passed since the deal closed. So what’s the hold-up?
According to Deadpool creator Rob Liefeld, Marvel Studios and its head Kevin Feige are behind the delay. Like many impatient fans, Liefeld just wants the studio to move forward with the character’s integration into the MCU. “[Marvel is] the reason it isn’t happening,” he said. “Whatever conundrum or it didn’t fit into your master plan, just commission it.”
To be fair, Marvel has been gearing up for Phase 4 of the MCU. Coming off the heels of Avengers: Endgame, the next few years of stories — including movies and Disney+ shows — was underway prior to the Fox deal’s closure. And the coronavirus pandemic has only further delayed these plans.
Creator Rob Liefeld supports casting a ‘Game of Thrones’ actor
Since Marvel hasn’t offered an update, fans have no clue what’s next for the character or when to expect Deadpool 3. So when Game of Thrones star Lena Headey recently voiced her interest in playing Deadpool, fans were all about it. After all, Headey already starred in comic book movies like 300 and Dredd.
And better yet, there’s precedence in Marvel Comics. In 2010, Liefeld and writer Victor Gischler co-created a character called Lady Deadpool. Liefeld caught wind of Headey’s comment and, according to ComicBook.com, supports the casting idea.
“Bring it on, baby! Bring it on!” Liefeld said. “Lady Deadpool is fantastic. She’s ridiculously popular as well. Also slightly underused, I think.”
The character is actually a member of Deadpool Corps., a team the original one assembles himself. If Marvel Studios decides to bring the team to the big screen, the MCU is already heading for the perfect opportunity.
Marvel’s multiverse plans could be a way to introduce Deadpool Corps.
Feige confirmed Phase 4 will introduce the Marvel multiverse. This storyline could open the door to a variety of exciting developments, such as the Deadpool Corps. The team is comprised of alternate universe versions of Reynolds’ character, meaning he could go on a multiverse-hopping quest to assemble his own team.
It would be just like Wade Wilson to meet the Avengers and try to one-up them by making a team of people just like him. Plus, the storyline fits with where fans last left the character. In Deadpool 2, he discovered time travel and the importance of family. So it makes sense he would rebound fast from a failed attempt at creating X-Force to Deadpool Corps.
Reynolds previously teased Deadpool 3‘s “crazy” story. A focus on Deadpool Corps. would certainly qualify. After all, not only does the team include Lady Deadpool but also Kid Deadpool, Dogpool, and a severed head named Headpool. The film would be like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse but weirder. Would Marvel Studios embrace such a bizarre story? We’ll see.
