There's been a mix of anticipation and impatience for Disney and Marvel to announce their plans
to possibly continue the Deadpool film series, but unfortunately, Deadpool co-creator Rob
Liefeld isn't particularly enthusiastic on that front.
In an appearance on Comicbook.com's Talking Shop, the superstar comic artist didn't mince
words:
"But I'm glad we talked about Deadpool 3. I blame Marvel. Blame Marvel that that hasn't
happened yet. They are the reason it isn't happening."
Liefeld doubled down in a separate interview with Inverse. Calling himself a realist about
the future of both Deadpool 3 and the planned X-Force film, he said they've, quote, "set
sail."
Liefeld said he thinks Marvel is dragging its feet with Deadpool after the first two
movies came out within just over two years of each other, a really quick turnaround for
a big-budget superhero sequel.
He claimed that, under Marvel, even if Deadpool 3 went into production right this very moment,
it would take four years to be released. Why would it take so long to make? Because, according
to Liefeld, Marvel isn't thinking about the Deadpool franchise at all right now. He said,
"You know what they have planned with Deadpool right now? You know what they have planned?
They've got goose egg zero, zero!"
He didn't say whether he had insider information or that was just a guess, but Liefeld advised
all Deadpool fans to enjoy the previous two movies and simply do what he does.
"I'm livin' in the past, man."
He also said he isn't impressed with MCU mastermind Kevin Feige at the moment.
"We're all like, 'Oh, Marvel, they're the best! Woo!' Really? You killed off Downey
Jr., you said goodbye to Chris Evans, you sent Scarlett Johannson off a cliff."
Liefeld likewise threw shade at Marvel's conclusion to Phase 3 and its plans for Phase 4 while
speaking with Inverse. He cited the Black Widow prequel, which presents no real suspense
given that it's a prequel, and Spider-Man actor Tom Holland's brief exit from the MCU
following contract disputes with Sony Pictures as evidence of Marvel's shortcomings.
"I'm not really that crazy about Marvel's plan right now. It's the first time I go,
'Hey, Feige, did you even have a plan?'"
He continued:
"Your plan was Eternals and Shang-Chi? That was your plan? And Black Widow?...They almost
lose Tom Holland to Sony...but you're geniuses, Marvel, you're geniuses."
Unlike at Fox, where the Deadpool films only had to fit loosely within the much smaller
narrative scope of the X-Men franchise, Deadpool now has to carve out space for itself within
a massive storytelling enterprise more than a decade and 23 films in the making.
The property and the character alike also must align with Disney and Marvel's family-friendly
vibe. Most Marvel movies have been rated PG-13, and aside from some action-movie violence
and a mild four-letter-word here and there, they've mostly been safe for kids to watch.
For many, that's part of the appeal of Marvel films, and it's a big reason for the studio's
massive, continued financial success.
The R-rated Deadpool movies, on the other hand, aren't kid-friendly. Deadpool as a character
is fundamentally foul-mouthed, suggestive, and purposefully over-the-top with his violent
antics, and the movies push the envelope even further than the comics do.
Fans have worried about whether Marvel would have to change Deadpool to accommodate the
MCU tone. Bob Iger, the then-CEO of The Walt Disney Company, stated in February 2019 that
any future Deadpool movie wouldn't be toned down and would still be R-rated, even under
the Disney-Marvel banner. He told Variety,
"We will continue in that business."
He noted that there's "certainly popularity" with R-rated comic book movies like Deadpool
and Deadpool 2, but Iger also said that Disney and Marvel would have to take steps to make
sure kids didn't think a Deadpool movie was like an Avengers movie:
"[We'll be] carefully branding [R-rated films] so we're not in any way confusing the consumer."
Now that Iger has stepped down as CEO and Bob Chapek has taken his place, it's difficult
to say if the promises Iger made still apply.
It's almost unthinkable that Disney and Marvel Studios would let the Deadpool property molder
on the shelf indefinitely. Fox's first two Deadpool films were some of the most successful
in the history of the X-Men franchise, and any effort to bring Reynolds' popular portrayal
of the character into the MCU would undoubtedly be met with ample excitement from the fanbase.
As Liefeld noted,
"These two movies are a $1.5 billion franchise, on a combined budget of less than $200 million."
So will there be a Deadpool 3? And if so, when? Liefeld has his guesses, and for now,
we'll just have to make ours until Marvel makes an official announcement.
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