Kevin Feige, the god of Marvel Studios, recently unveiled Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
It’s a smorgasbord of delectable prospects: Black Widow finally heading to the screen in a solo (and prequel) capacity; five new Marvel TV shows for upcoming streaming service Disney+; a fourth Thor movie, with Natalie Portman as a female Thor; and a brand new team-up movie, Marvel’s Eternals, set to introduce heroes on a galactic scale we’ve only really peeked at so far.
At the end of the recent San Diego Comic Con presentation, Feige teased Fantastic Four and X-Men (which are now Marvel Studios properties after Disney purchased 21st Century Fox), as well as revealing a surprise reboot of Blade, starring Mahershala Ali in the title role.
But there’s a certain spandex-wearing, fourth-wall breaking wise-cracker missing from all these announcements – Deadpool. Don’t worry though, the hero himself has given fans hope.
Ryan Reynolds, who plays the titular superhero, posted a photo on Instagram, with the caption: ‘Investigation heading into year 5. Or as I call it, ‘Phase 5.’ The point is, I love conspiracy-yarn. #LeakAversary’
Marvel sceptics have argued that Deadpool won’t fit into the MCU due to his more explicit and violent sensibilities, contrasting the family-friendly films the franchise is known for.
However, Deadpool’s first two outings have been major critical and financial successes; as reported by Collider, 2016’s first film is the second highest-grossing R-rated film of all-time (behind Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ).
Back in April this year, following CinemaCon, Disney’s studio chairman assured audiences: ‘You’ll be seeing more of Deadpool in the years to come.’
Reynolds has fully embraced the Deadpool character like a real-life alter-ego online, frequently engaging in a number of online shenanigans.
Recent comments from Deadpool 2’s director, David Leitch, signal further hope for the hero’s integration into the MCU.
Leitch recently told Uproxx:
I know Marvel announced their slate and I think people were like, ‘Deadpool’s not on it.’ I would never say never. And I think, obviously, he’s such a beloved character and it’s such a compelling world people want to go back. And I think they will find a way to do it.
If Marvel have any sense, it won’t be long until we’re cooking up some fresh chimichangas.
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After graduating from Glasgow Caledonian University with an NCTJ and BCTJ-accredited Multimedia Journalism degree, Cameron ventured into the world of print journalism at The National, while also working as a freelance film journalist on the side, becoming an accredited Rotten Tomatoes critic in the process. He’s now left his Scottish homelands and took up residence at UNILAD as a journalist.