The possibility of the X-Men joining forces with the Avengers is now a reality after the successful Fox-Disney merger last 2019. This means that Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool will be given the chance to break the fourth wall with the rest of the characters from the MCU, but the road to get there wasn't a smooth-sailing affair.
After the successful box-office run of Deadpool 2, fans turned their attention to the third installment of the franchise. However, plans were derailed due to the aforementioned deal between the two studios, making everyone worried that a threequel will not see the light of day.
Despite that, Reynolds served as the champion of the Deadpool franchise in the past months by leading the campaign for the character's potential debut in the larger MCU. The actor further hyped Deadpool's inclusion in the MCU, admitting that it will be “explosive” and “amazing” for everyone involved.
Last November, news finally broke that Deadpool 3 is in active development at Marvel Studios, with new writers reportedly on board. Now, the president of the studio shared more details about the exciting project.
CONFIRMATION
While speaking with Collider, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige confirmed that Deadpool 3 is in development. The chief executive revealed that the third installment will be rated R and will be set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with filming currently not planned this year.
Feige also expressed his excitement about Ryan Reynolds' involvement, describing the actor as a “force of nature:"
“It will be rated R and we are working on a script right now, and Ryan’s overseeing a script right now… It will not be [filming] this year. Ryan is a very busy, very successful actor. We’ve got a number of things we’ve already announced that we now have to make, but it’s exciting for it to have begun. Again, a very different type of character in the MCU, and Ryan is a force of nature, which is just awesome to see him bring that character to life.”
WHAT THIS MEANS
As it is, Feige's confirmation should serve as a solid piece of good news to welcome 2021 for many fans. Deadpool has been a fan-favorite character ever since his debut in the comics, but his popularity rose due to the impressive on-screen portrayal of Ryan Reynolds.
If anything, Feige's excitement should reassure fans that the Deadpool franchise is in good hands, and it will be interesting to find out how Reynolds will further expand the character's arc to align with the rest of the MCU. The story possibilities are endless for Deadpool, especially now that his quirky antics will be featured opposite several heroes like Tom Holland's Spider-Man and Benedict Cumberbatch's Doctor Strange.
The remarks from Feige indicate that filming for Deadpool 3 will not start at least until 2022. In a way, this makes sense since there is a stockpile of projects under the MCU banner that are either in production or waiting for their eventual release. This bodes well for the crew behind the threequel since it gives them ample time to craft a compelling narrative around the Merc with a Mouth, ultimately explaining how Wade Wilson ends up on the Disney side of things.
It's safe to say that Deadpool 3 will be part of Marvel's Phase 5 slate, but this doesn't mean that the character will not be featured in a potential cameo role in the current Phase 4 lineup. Since Wilson already experimented with time-travel and alternate realities in the credits sequence of Deadpool 2, it's possible that he will end up in the main MCU timeline by accident. As a result, Deadpool could quickly appear in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and fans will no doubt erupt with cheers if that ever happens.
All in all, Deadpool's arrival in the MCU allows the franchise to go in several new and exciting directions that will further cement the character's legacy down the line.
