After years of speculation regarding the future of the Merc with a Mouth in the MCU, Deadpool 3 is finally happening. After the release of Deadpool 2 back in 2018, the road ahead for our favorite mercenary seemed dubious for multiple reasons. As the Disney-Fox deal finally took place, fans were wary whether Marvel Studios would ever retain the character’s essence which made the movies such a massive hit in the first place. However, after four long years, Deadpool 3 is finally in the works to integrate Ryan Reynolds’ fourth-wall-breaking superhero into the MCU.
Reported first by The Hollywood Reporter, Deadpool 3 has found its director in Shawn Levy. The Canadian film director is best known for his works in the Night at the Museum series. Additionally, Levy has also directed popular blockbusters such as Real Steel and Free Guy, the latter becoming one of the most successful movies of the pandemic era. Recently, Shawn Levy had once again reunited with Reynolds for The Adam Project, which has received positive reviews and currently streaming on Netflix.
Deadpool 3 Lands Free Guy Director Replacing David Leitch
Deadpool which was first released back in 2016 was a dream project of Ryan Reynolds which came to fruition after years of effort and convincing. A risky venture to begin within a genre that mostly caters to children and young adults, Deadpool was a trailblazer proving that R-rated superhero movies can work wonders too. Made on a meager budget of $58 million, Deadpool broke records and became one of the highest-grossing movies in the X-Men franchise with a staggering $786.2 million earnings. Its sequel, Deadpool 2 was also a box-office blockbuster with nearly $785 million collections. The success of Deadpool paved the path for Logan, another R-rated superhero movie that marked the end of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine.
Related: Logan: Why Marvel Studios Can Never Replicate This Masterpiece
Joining Shawn Levy will be Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick as screenwriters who have frequently collaborated with Ryan Reynolds in the past. Previously, Bob Burgers screenwriters, the Molyneux sisters had worked on the script for the upcoming Deadpool 3. Shawn Levy will be the third director in the Deadpool franchise after Tim Miller and David Leitch.
Related: Why Bringing Deadpool Into MCU Is A Bad Idea
Though it was inevitable that Reynolds’ Deadpool was going to be integrated into the larger MCU after the Disney-Fox merger, fans were apprehensive regarding the character’s tonality. However, with the recent addition of Netflix’s Marvel shows such as Daredevil, The Punisher, Jessica Jones, and the others to the Disney+ streaming platform, it now seems that Marvel Studios will finally cater to a more mature audience in the future. Moreover, Kevin Feige himself has assured fans that Deadpool will retain its R-rating in the MCU, being the only character to have the privilege so far.
Deadpool 3 currently does not have a release date.
