Marvel fans have an impressive number of projects to look forward to in 2022 and beyond. In addition to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and its limitless potential for cameos, the MCU is also set to receive Thor: Love and Thunder, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, as well as She-Hulk and Secret Invasion on Disney+. Still, there are several confirmed projects fans have heard little about since their announcement, including Deadpool 3 starring Ryan Reynolds.
After two R-rated films with Fox in 2016 and 2018, the Deadpool threequel was in question after Disney's merger with Fox; and while Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige confirmed Wade Wilson's place in the MCU, any further information has been vague at best.
Now, thankfully, that has changed. According to a new report, Deadpool 3 has found its director for the franchise's MCU debut and completion of its trilogy.
Ryan Reynolds Responds to Deadpool 3 Announcement
In response to the news that Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool 3 will be directed by Free Guy director Shawn Levy, Reynolds posted the following tweet and an amusing poster of Deadpool along with characters he's played in past Shawn Levy films.
The third film in my Shawn Levy trilogy will be a tad more stabby.
While the original Deadpool and Deadpool 2 were directed by Tim Miller and David Leitch respectively, Shawn Levy has an established history with Reynolds having not only directed Free Guy but also Netflix's The Adam Project.
When asked about directing for Marvel and for Reynolds' third Deadpool film specifically, Levy has only confirmed that he is a "massive fan of Deadpool."
However, Reynolds hasn't been secretive at all about his interest in Levy taking the helm. In fact, this news comes on the heels of Reynolds expressing his support for Levy to direct, saying it would be "a dream come true."
Was Free Guy a Hint?
Considering the tone and humor of Free Guy, and the heart-tugging nature of The Adam Project, it's safe to say that Reynolds is right - Levy's film with the new Marvel star is likely to be more "stabby."
However, that's not to say that Levy and Reynolds' films have been without Marvel references, connections, and even cameos. In fact, in retrospect, those inclusions may have actually been hints?
In Free Guy, Reynolds' reprised his role as Merc with a Mouth alongside Taika Waitit's Korg from Thor: Ragnarok. Other MCU characters and actors made an appearance too, including Captain America's Chris Evans.
Still, that wasn't the last time an MCU star was featured in a Levy-Reynolds film. The Hulk's Mark Ruffalo also starred in The Adam Project; and to promote the film, Ruffalo shared an image of himself and Reynolds next to a plastic crate covered in stickers. One of those stickers was of Deadpool, while the other was Ruffalo's Hulk.
While fans don't yet know just how long Shawn Levy has been tied to Deadpool 3, considering the relationship between the actor and director and their subsequent success, this announcement is good news for Deadpool's MCU debut and the completion of the trilogy.
