Ryan Reynolds has become synonymous with Wade Wilson/Deadpool after bringing the character to life in three live-action Deadpool films and cementing the “Merc with a Mouth” as a fan favorite for the wider Marvel universe. But the actor’s mysterious absence from the extensive Avengers: Doomsday ensemble — which includes several MCU heavyweights like Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Paul Rudd (Scott Lang/Ant-Man), and Tom Hiddleston (Loki) — has fueled speculation that he may not return in the lead role.
Now, fans are left wondering whether the next film could recast Deadpool entirely or ditch the iconic character altogether, despite Deadpool & Wolverine grossing over $1.3B worldwide last year. However, recently, Shawn Levy, who helmed last year’s box-office juggernaut, offered some insight into the possibility of a fourth film in the Deadpool series.
Related: Marvel Quietly Sets the Stage for Deadpool’s Replacement in the MCU | How To Disney
“I’m a fan of a lot of threes in the trilogies of movies,” Levy revealed in an interview with Kevin McCarthy (via The Playlist). “I love Back to the Future 3. I love [Lord of the Rings] Return of the King. [Avengers: Endgame was] such a superior audience experience.”
“When I look at Deadpool & Wolverine, that became a love letter to that [20th Century Fox] legacy. We were also able to tap into years of legacy storytelling,” he added. “I don’t know about rule of threes, ’cause the truth is, as I contemplate, for instance, ‘Okay, how do we make another Deadpool movie?'”
“Sequels are hard,” Levy went on to admit. “They are dauntingly hard. I made three Night at the Museum movies. It kicked my ass every time. And so, yeah, having seen how the sausage of sequels is made, I find the whole subject a little stressful because you want to get it right.”
While he doesn’t mention Reynolds, one would assume that the actor would reprise his role in a future film. Just because he’s missing from the Doomsday lineup, doesn’t mean he’s done with the character of Wade Wilson. For all we know, Marvel is keeping surprise any cameos in that film close to its chest in the same way Deadpool & Wolverine did with the likes of Elektra (Jennifer Garner), Blade (Wesley Snipes), and X-23 (Dafne Keen).
For fans keen for more Deadpool action, “Deadpool VR” is now available. It doesn’t star Reynolds, though — Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother) voices Wade Wilson. Whether or not Harris would ever step up to take on the role in live action remains to be seen. It’s unlikely, but now that the MCU has well and truly opened the floodgates to the Multiverse, never say never.
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