Draft:Deadpool (film series)

Deadpool is an American superhero film series based on the fictional character of the same name, who originally appeared in a series of comic books created by Fabian Nicieza and Rob Liefeld and published by Marvel Comics. The series revolves around Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds), a fourth wall breaking wisecracking mercenary with accelerated healing but severe scarring over his body after undergoing an experimental regenerative mutation.

Development began at New Line Cinema with a Deadpool film starring Reynolds began in February 2004, before he played a different version of the character in X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009). However, there were rights issues with 20th Century Fox and their X-Men films, and the project did not move forward. The first two feature films Deadpool (2016), Deadpool 2 (2018), and the short film No Good Deed (2017), are all produced by 20th Century Fox and set in the X-Men film series.

After the proposed acquisition of 21st Century Fox by Disney was announced in December 2017 and completed in March 2019, Disney CEO Bob Iger said that the character, Deadpool would be integrated into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) under Disney. A third feature film, Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) is set in the MCU with Reynolds and Hugh Jackman set to reprise their respective roles from the X-Men film series.

Development
Artisan Entertainment announced a deal with Marvel Entertainment in May 2000 to co-produce, finance, and distribute several films based on Marvel Comics' characters, including Deadpool. By February 2004, writer and director David S. Goyer and Ryan Reynolds were working on a Deadpool film at New Line Cinema. They had worked together on the Marvel film Blade: Trinity. Reynolds was interested in the part of Deadpool after learning that in the comics the character refers to his appearance as "Ryan Reynolds crossed with a Shar-Pei". New Line executive Jeff Katz, who thought Reynolds was the only actor suitable for the role, championed the idea. However, there were rights issues with 20th Century Fox and their X-Men films, and the project did not move forward.

By March 2005, Reynolds learned that Fox had expressed interest in a film featuring Deadpool. The character was set to make a cameo appearance in the 2009 film X-Men Origins: Wolverine, with Reynolds cast in the part. His role was expanded during the film's production. Katz was an executive at Fox at that point and said that Deadpool was "nicely set up to be explored in his own way" in a future film. The film's portrayal deviates from the original comic character, "imbuing him with several superpowers and sewing his mouth shut". Deadpool apparently dies in the film, though a post-credits scene showing him still alive was added to the film shortly before its release. After the successful opening weekend of Wolverine, Fox officially began development on Deadpool, with Reynolds attached to star and X-Men producer Lauren Shuler Donner involved. The spinoff was set to ignore the Wolverine version of Deadpool and return to the character's roots with a slapstick tone and a "propensity to break the fourth wall".

Deadpool (2016)
Mercenary and former Special Forces operative Wade Wilson is subjected to an experiment that leaves him with new abilities. He adopts the alter ego Deadpool to hunt down the man who nearly destroyed his life.

20th Century Fox acquired Deadpool after New Line Cinema placed it in turnaround and was considering the spin-off in the development of X-Men Origins: Wolverine, with Reynolds being cast for the role. After the opening weekend success of X-Men Origins: Wolverine in May 2009, Fox lent Deadpool out to writers with Donner acting as a producer. Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick were hired to write the script in January 2010. Robert Rodriguez was sent a draft of the screenplay the following June but did not pursue it, and Adam Berg emerged as a top contender to direct. In April 2011, visual effects specialist Tim Miller was hired to direct. Principal photography began in March 2015 in Vancouver, Canada, and ended in May.

After an unconventional marketing campaign, the film was released on February 12, 2016, to both financial and critical success. It earned over $782 million against a $58 million budget, becoming the ninth-highest-grossing film of 2016 and breaking numerous records, including highest-grossing X-Men film and R-rated film at the time. Critics praised Reynolds' performance, the film's style and faithfulness to the comics, along with its action sequences, though some criticized the plot as formulaic and were divided on the film's adult humor. It received many awards and nominations, including two Critics' Choice Awards and two Golden Globe nominations.

Deadpool 2 (2018)
After a personal tragedy, Deadpool creates the X-Force to save a young mutant from the time-traveling soldier Cable.

In September 2015, Kinberg said that a sequel for Deadpool was in development. By the release of Deadpool, 20th Century Fox greenlit the film, with Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick returning to write, and Miller being looked at to return as director, as he was working on the script at the time. However, in October 2016, Miller left the film due to creative differences with Reynolds and was replaced by David Leitch in November as the director. In February 2017, Drew Goddard had joined as a creative consultant to work on the script with Reynolds, Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. Filming commenced in June 2017 in Vancouver, Canada and concluded in October.

The film was released on May 18, 2018 and outgrossed its predecessor, earning over $785 million worldwide, becoming the ninth-highest-grossing film of 2018, the highest-grossing film in the X-Men series. The film received positive reviews from critics, who praised its humor, cast performances, story and action sequences but criticized its tone and script.

Once Upon a Deadpool
A PG-13-rated version of the film, titled Once Upon a Deadpool, was released on December 12, 2018, to mixed reviews.

Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
After the acquisition of 21st Century Fox by The Walt Disney Company was announced in December 2017 and completed in March 2019, all X-Men films in development were cancelled, including X-Force and Fox's version of Deadpool 3, with Marvel Studios taking control of the franchise. Disney CEO Bob Iger said that Deadpool would be integrated with the Marvel Cinematic Universe under Disney, and the character's films could remain R-rated "as long as we let the audiences know what's coming".

In December 2019, Reynolds confirmed that a third Deadpool film was in development at Marvel Studios. On November 20, 2020, Marvel and Ryan Reynolds met with various writers and decided that Wendy Molyneux and Lizzie Molyneux-Logelin, who are known for their work on Bob's Burgers, would write the script for the third film. In January 2021, Marvel Studios chairman Kevin Feige reiterated that the sequel will be rated R like its predecessors and will be set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Filming began on May 22, 2023, in London, before being suspended in July of that year, due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. Filming later resumed on November 23 of that year, and wrapped on January 24, 2024. The title of Deadpool & Wolverine was revealed on February 11, 2024.

No Good Deed (2017)
David Leitch directed a scene featuring Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool in December 2016, which was believed to be intended as a post-credits scene for the 2017 film Logan. This was meant to tease the film Deadpool 2, which Leitch had been hired to direct a month earlier. However, this report was denied by Reynolds, Logan director James Mangold, and star Hugh Jackman. After Logan's runtime was extended by three minutes shortly before its release, there was new speculation that a post-credits scene had been added to tease an upcoming X-Men film, but Mangold denied this again, saying that he wanted to "make a movie that begun and ended on its own terms. There was nothing else to say, because we had said it." Instead, a Deadpool scene was shown as a teaser for Deadpool 2 before Logan, confirmed to be the scene directed by Leitch in December 2016. It was written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, writers of the first two Deadpool films.

Deadpool and Korg React (2021)
The first short film, Deadpool and Korg React, Wade Wilson and Korg react to the trailer of Free Guy before discussing the possibility of joining the MCU.

Reynolds first pitched a short film featuring Deadpool interrogating the hunter who killed Bambi's mother, from the 1942 film Bambi, and would have seen Deadpool trying to find out how to become a loathed character. After that pitch was denied by Disney, development on Deadpool and Korg React began.

Cast and characters
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; width: 99%;" ! scope="col" rowspan="3" style="width: 10%;" | Characters ! scope="colgroup" colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" | X-Men film series ! scope="colgroup" colspan="1" style="text-align: center;" | Marvel Cinematic Universe ! scope="colgroup" colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" | Short films ! scope="col" style="text-align: center; width: 10%;" | Deadpool ! scope="col" style="text-align: center; width: 10%;" | Deadpool 2 Once Upon a Deadpool ! scope="col" style="text-align: center; width: 10%;" | Deadpool & Wolverine ! scope="col" style="text-align: center; width: 5%;" | No Good Deed ! scope="col" style="text-align: center; width: 5%;" | Deadpool and Korg React ! 2016 ! 2018 ! 2024 ! 2017 ! 2021 ! scope="row" | Wade Wilson Deadpool ! scope="row" colspan="7" style="background-color:#ddf;" |
 * colspan="5" | Ryan Reynolds

Introduced in other Marvel franchises
! scope="row" | Alioth ! scope="row" | John Allerdyce Pyro ! scope="row" | Azazel ! scope="row" | Bruce Banner Hulk ! scope="row" | Colossus ! scope="row" | Harold "Happy" Hogan ! scope="row" | James "Logan" Howlett Wolverine ! scope="row" | Hunter B-15 ! scope="row" | Juggernaut ! scope="row" | Korg ! scope="row" | Laura ! scope="row" | Peter Maximoff Quicksilver ! scope="row" | Hank McCoy Beast ! scope="row" | Ororo Monroe Storm ! scope="row" | Elektra Natchios ! scope="row" | Yuriko Oyama Lady Deathstrike ! Sabretooth ! scope="row" | Scott Summers Cyclops ! scope="row" | Thor ! scope="row" | Toad ! scope="row" | Kurt Wagner Nightcrawler ! scope="row" | Wade Wilson Weapon XI ! scope="row" | Charles Xavier ! Yukio ! scope="row" colspan="7" style="background-color:#ddf;" |
 * colspan="2"
 * CGI
 * colspan="2"
 * colspan="2"
 * Aaron Stanford
 * colspan="2"
 * colspan="2"
 * Jason Flemyng
 * colspan="2"
 * colspan="2"
 * TBA
 * colspan="2"
 * colspan="3" | Stefan Kapičić Andre Tricoteux
 * colspan="3"
 * colspan="2"
 * Jon Favreau
 * colspan="2"
 * Hugh Jackman
 * Hugh Jackman
 * Hugh Jackman
 * colspan="2"
 * colspan="2"
 * Wunmi Mosaku
 * colspan="2"
 * Ryan Reynolds
 * TBA
 * colspan="2"
 * colspan="2"
 * colspan="4"
 * Taika Waititi
 * colspan="2"
 * Dafne Keen
 * colspan="2"
 * Evan Peters
 * colspan="3"
 * colspan="3"
 * Nicholas Hoult
 * colspan="3"
 * colspan="3"
 * Alexandra Shipp
 * colspan="3"
 * colspan="3"
 * colspan="2"
 * Jennifer Garner
 * colspan="2"
 * colspan="2"
 * Kelly Hu
 * colspan="3"
 * colspan="2"
 * Tyler Mane
 * colspan="3"
 * Tye Sheridan
 * colspan="3"
 * colspan="3"
 * colspan="2"
 * Chris Hemsworth
 * colspan="2"
 * colspan="2"
 * Ray Park
 * colspan="3"
 * Kodi Smit-McPhee
 * colspan="3"
 * colspan="3"
 * Ryan Reynolds
 * colspan="3"
 * colspan="3"
 * James McAvoy
 * colspan="3"
 * colspan="3"
 * colspan="2" |Shioli Kutsuna
 * colspan="3"
 * colspan="3"

Introduced in Deadpool
! scope="row" | Bob ! scope="row" | Blind Al ! scope="row" | Buck ! scope="row" | Vanessa Carlysle ! scope="row" | Dopinder ! scope="row" | Angel Dust ! scope="row" | Francis Freeman Ajax ! scope="row" | Negasonic Teenage Warhead ! scope="row" | Recruiter ! scope="row" | Weasel ! scope="row" colspan="7" style="background-color:#ddf;" |
 * Rob Hayter
 * colspan="5"
 * colspan="3" | Leslie Uggams
 * colspan="3"
 * colspan="3" | Randal Reeder
 * colspan="3"
 * colspan="3" | Morena Baccarin
 * colspan="3"
 * colspan="3" | Karan Soni
 * colspan="3"
 * Gina Carano
 * colspan="4"
 * Ed Skrein
 * colspan="4"
 * colspan="3" | Brianna Hildebrand
 * colspan="3"
 * Jed Rees
 * colspan="4"
 * colspan="2" | T. J. Miller
 * colspan="3"

Introduced in Deadpool 2
! scope="row" | Bedlam ! scope="row" | Cable ! scope="row" | Black Tom Cassidy ! scope="row" | Russell Collins Firefist Sala Baker ! scope="row" | Domino ! scope="row" | Essex Headmaster ! scope="row" | Hope ! scope="row" | Peter ! scope="row" | Fred Savage ! scope="row" | Shatterstar ! scope="row" | Vanisher ! scope="row" | Zeitgeist ! scope="row" colspan="7" style="background-color:#ddf;" |
 * Terry Crews
 * colspan="3"
 * colspan="3"
 * Josh Brolin
 * colspan="3"
 * colspan="3"
 * Jack Kesy
 * colspan="3"
 * colspan="3"
 * Julian Dennison
 * Julian Dennison
 * colspan="3"
 * Zazie Beetz
 * colspan="3"
 * colspan="3"
 * Eddie Marsan
 * colspan="3"
 * colspan="3"
 * Islie Hirvonen
 * colspan="3"
 * colspan="3"
 * colspan="2" | Rob Delaney
 * colspan="3"
 * colspan="3"
 * Himself
 * colspan="3"
 * colspan="3"
 * colspan="2" | Lewis Tan
 * colspan="2"
 * colspan="2"
 * Brad Pitt
 * colspan="3"
 * colspan="3"
 * Bill Skarsgård
 * colspan="3"
 * colspan="3"

Introduced in Deadpool & Wolverine
! scope="row" | "Cowboy Deadpool" ! scope="row" | Dogpool ! scope="row" | Headpool ! scope="row" | James "Logan" Howlett Patch ! scope="row" | Kidpool ! scope="row" | Cassandra Nova ! scope="row" | Paradox ! scope="row" | "Samurai Deadpool" ! scope="row" | Wanda Wilson Lady Deadpool ! scope="row" colspan="7" style="background-color:#ddf;" |
 * colspan="2"
 * TBA
 * colspan="2"
 * colspan="2"
 * Peggy
 * colspan="2"
 * colspan="2"
 * TBA
 * colspan="2"
 * colspan="2"
 * Hugh Jackman
 * colspan="2"
 * colspan="2"
 * TBA
 * colspan="2"
 * colspan="2"
 * Emma Corrin
 * colspan="2"
 * colspan="2"
 * Matthew Macfadyen
 * colspan="2"
 * colspan="2"
 * Ryan Reynolds
 * colspan="2"
 * colspan="2"
 * TBA
 * colspan="2"

Cameo appearances
! scope="row" | Matt Damon ! scope="row" | Greg Hemphill ! scope="row" | Stan Lee ! scope="row" | Rob McElhenney ! scope="row" | Ollie Palmer ! scope="row" | Alan Tudyk
 * "Dickie Greenleaf"
 * colspan="3"
 * colspan="3"
 * colspan="2"
 * Bartender
 * colspan="2"
 * Strip Club MC
 * Bust in the X-Mansion and Graffiti art
 * Himself
 * Himself
 * colspan="2"
 * TBA
 * colspan="2"
 * colspan="2"
 * Bar attendee
 * colspan="2"
 * Luke - Redneck #1
 * colspan="3"
 * }
 * }
 * }

Cancelled films
In March 2019, The Walt Disney Company acquired the film rights for Deadpool and the X-Men after the acquisition deal of 21st Century Fox was completed. The films in development under 20th Century Fox were placed "on hold" and eventually canceled by Disney. Any future Deadpool films will be produced by Marvel Studios as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Future films based on the X-Men franchise planned by Fox before the acquisition included:


 * X-Force: In July 2013, Jeff Wadlow was hired to write and direct a film adaptation of the X-Men spin-off comic-book series X-Force. Mark Millar, the creative consultant for 20th Century Fox's Marvel Comics based films at the time, stated that the film would feature five characters as protagonists. After the release of Deadpool, Ryan Reynolds said that Deadpool would appear in the film. By May 2016, Simon Kinberg was in the process of rewriting the script. In February 2017, Joe Carnahan had signed on as director, as well as a co-writer with Reynolds. By September of the same year, Drew Goddard was attached to write and direct. Rhett Reese said the film would be a R-rated take on the X-Men. Kinberg, Reynolds and Donner were later slated to serve as producers for the film. In September 2018, Kinberg said that Goddard would begin work on the script after the release of Bad Times at the El Royale.


 * Fox's Deadpool 3: In November 2016, plans began for a third Deadpool film. Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick stated the film would enter production after the untitled X-Force film, with Ryan Reynolds and Morena Baccarin reprising their roles. Production was planned to take place in Atlanta, Georgia. After the acquisition of 21st Century Fox by Disney was announced in December 2017 and completed in March 2019, Disney CEO Bob Iger said that Deadpool would be integrated with the MCU under Disney, with Reynolds expected to reprise his role. The Once Upon a Deadpool version of Deadpool 2 (2018) was being watched carefully by Disney and Marvel Studios to see whether it might inform how they could approach the character and integrate him into the PG-13 MCU. In October 2019, Reese and Wernick said that they were waiting for approval from Marvel Studios to begin production on the third film. Reese said, "[Deadpool] will live in the R-rated universe that we've created, and hopefully we'll be allowed to play a little bit in the MCU sandbox as well and incorporate him into that."

X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
Deadpool had been developed for his own film by Ryan Reynolds and David S. Goyer at New Line Cinema in 2003, but the project fell apart as they focused on Blade: Trinity and an aborted spin-off. The film's co-writer David Benioff wrote the character into the X-Men Origins: Wolverine script in a manner Hugh Jackman described as fun, but would also deviate from some of his traits.

In the film, Wade Wilson is a wisecracking mercenary with lethal swordsmanship skill and peak athleticism who is later transformed into the genetically altered mutant killer, "Weapon XI". His mouth is sown shut and has powers taken from other mutants killed or kidnapped in the film, including Scott Summers' optic blasts, John Wraith's teleportation, healing factor, and katanas that come out of his fists from within his arms, similarly to Wolverine's claws. Wolverine and Sabretooth fight and eventually defeat Weapon XI, seemingly killing him in process.

The film received mainly negative reviews from audiences and critics, many of the reviews criticizing the film's portrayal of Deadpool. Years later, both Reynolds and Jackman confessed being unhappy with the final result of X-Men Origins: Wolverine.