With production now slated to begin this June on 20th Century Fox’s highly-anticipatedDeadpool sequel, the cast is starting to come together. Star/producerRyan Reynoldsrecently confirmed thatZazie Beetzis aboard as Domino, and recent reports claim thatMichael ShannonandBrad Pittare both in contention to play Cable. While promoting their new sci-fi thrillerLife,Deadpool 2writersRhett ReeseandPaul Wernickalso revealed that they’re finalizing the shooting draft of the screenplay, while teasing a potential cameo fromHugh Jackmanthat is so unconventional that it just may work.
The Hollywood Reportercaught up withRhett ReeseandPaul Wernick, who were asked about how different it is to write a script for a movie that doesn’t already have a release date set in stone. While 20th Century Fox is believed to be targeting thissuperhero sequelfor release sometime in 2018, nothing has been confirmed, with the writers saying they are very close to finishing their shooting draft ofDeadpool 2. Here’s whatRhett Reeseexplained about the sequel script, and his writing process.
“We’re very close to a draft that we’ll go off and shoot in a couple of months and we couldn’t be more thrilled. We don’t want to put the cart before the horse, and often times with release dates that happens. You end up racing and you end up being forced to do something you’re not happy with and the great thing aboutDeadpoolis we spent a career trying to duck other movies. ‘How do we get off the release date of this or that?’ I think in most cases, people are going to have to duck us. Fox is probably going to be able to drop that thing on a date and everyone else is going to scatter, because no one will want to come out the same weekend, our feeling is it’s all about the movie. The fact thatDeadpoolcame out in February and did as well as it did, and you are seeing similarly the summer [movie season] start earlier in March, and movies succeed in October and so the date to us doesn’t mean as much as it used to. I think the studio feels the same way. We just want to make the best movie possible andDeadpoolwill find an audience, we feel at this point.”
WhileDeadpoolis firmly entrenched within theX-Menmovie universe, featuring mutants Colossus (Stefan Kapicic) and Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildenbrand), some fans were hoping for a cameo fromHugh Jackmanin the original movie. While that didn’t happen, the Merc With the Mouth often referencedHugh Jackmanhimself, and his Wolverine character, while, at one point, stapling a cutout ofHugh Jackman’s face to his forehead. Sadly, the timing isn’t exactly right for a Wolverine cameo, sinceHugh Jackmanhas said repeatedly that the current blockbusterLoganwill be his final performance as Wolverine, but The Hollywood Reporter journalistAaron Couchpitched the writers a solution, which would be to giveHugh Jackmana cameo as himself. Here’s whatRhett Reesehad to say, in response to this pitch.
“Oh my gosh, that’s one we haven’t heard. That’s not a bad idea. I like that.Deadpoollives in a world whereHugh Jackmanis out there. He’s got the People’s Sexiest Man Alive cover that he staples to his forehead in the first movie, so maybe he could meet Hugh as Hugh. That would be really funny.”
DeadpoolstarRyan Reynoldshas teased in the past that he wants to put aDeadpool vs. Wolverinemovie together, but as of now,Hugh Jackmanhas retired from the role.Hugh Jackmanhas hinted that, a few years from now, he may be interested in coming back to revisit the character, but his mind is made up, and he’s officially retired for the moment.Deadpool 2will be directed byDavid Leitch(John Wick,Atomic Blonde), from a script byRhett ReeseandPaul Wernick. Hopefully we’ll find out more about the cast and the story forDeadpool 2as we get closer to production starting this summer.
