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One does not simply make a Deadpool movie

March 26th, 2013 by Irwin Fletcher 2 Comments

A Deadpool solo movie has been in the works at Fox for what seems an eternity, and on the heels of some comments Ryan Reynolds made the other day, Zombieland screenwriters Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick have taken time out to give Collider.com an update on how the project is progressing or not as the case may be.

All we know so far is that a script exists and that Fox has commissioned some test footage, of which Reese sounds extremely positive. Reynolds is still on board, and has said recently that Deadpool would address X-Men Origins: Wolverine. He also voiced concerns that it’s a tough sell to 20th Century Fox because the film would be “hard R”, and not fit the mold of a typical superhero movie. The screenwriters have said they’ve spoken to Fox’s consultant Mark Millar.

“We have a phenomenal director in Tim Miller, who did about a 3-minute test for Fox, and Ryan [Reynolds] came in to do the mo-cap for it and the voice,” says Reese. “And it’s like the greatest three minutes ever. I look at the three minutes and I’m like, ‘That’s the movie, and it has to get made’.

“I think the biggest hurdle right now is convincing the-powers-that-be that it’s okay to have a hard-R rated movie within the Marvel Universe. I think there just has to be a tolerance for the outlier. There has to be a tolerance for this one project that’s not like all the other Marvel projects.”

“Iron Man was like that when it came out,” agrees Wernick. “Tony Stark the hard drinking, fast-talking billionaire was very different from all the other Marvel characters. And look what it became. We feel that way about Deadpool.”

The script which leaked online, generated positive buzz among those lucky enough to get a peek, and Reese is taking encouragement from that that they’re approach to the property is the way to go. I must add here that while I didn’t see the script firsthand, I have read the positive reactions of many who have.  This is my favorite quote from one such person:

“In it’s best moments, [reading the ‘Deadpool’ script] is like reading ‘Van Wilder’ meets ‘Kill Bill’, a genius mix of insane dark comedy and ridiculous over the top violence the likes of which we’ve never seen in any other superhero movie before… With the right director and Reynolds in the lead, this script has the potential to be the ‘Dark Knight’ of R-rated superhero movies.”

“The Deadpool fans who found it think that it’s right in the wheelhouse of what a Deadpool movie should be,” says Reese. “And so again, we’re just fighting that uphill battle to convince people, and be positive.”

They believe so much in what they’ve done, that they are actually cool with the fact that their script leaked. I know that it’s easy for us to spend Fox’s money and say they should do it and I also understand the reasons for their hesitation. When you put your neck on the chopping block, there’s the chance you can lose your head if the movie tanks.  But with only a $50 million budget, which is nothing when it comes to comic book movies, it feels like Fox is playing it too safe. They did make Daredevil in 2003 for 78 million after all. I thought movies like Sin City and 300 proved that R-rated comic book movies can work and be profitable? Deadpool has never been hotter, he’s almost everywhere you look and even has his own video game coming out soon. Now would be the time to take advantage.

As Deadpool is fond of saying ” My common sense is tingling.”

I'm an LA journalist who really lives for his profession. I have also published work as Jane Doe in various mags and newspapers across the globe. I normally write articles that can cause trouble but now I write for FTN because Nerds are never angry, so I feel safe.