Tuesday
Sep232014
Deadpool Solo Film is a Go
Tuesday, September 23, 2014 at 2:13PM 
Margaret here, with the latest in superhero news. Twentieth Century Fox and Marvel Comics have firmed their long-rumored plans to produce a Deadpool movie. A popular Marvel character, Deadpool (alias Wade Wilson) is a motormouthed mercenary with powers including regenerative healing and expert swordsmanship. He appeared in 2009's X-Men Origins: Wolverine, as played by Ryan Reynolds, to much fan favor. Though Reynolds is not yet attached to the upcoming film, in the grand tradition of superhero tentpoles a release has already been fixed for February 12 of 2016.
When Reynolds appeared as Deadpool five years ago, his star was quickly on the rise. The warm reception to his performance in Wolverine helped him land the lead in DC Comics' mega-budget Green Lantern movie, which (remember? We were so young back then) was expected to become a major franchise. The film ended up tanking spectacularly, and Reynolds' next several major-studio projects fared little better. Like many floundering movie stars before him, he retreated to the indie-movie scene, but Marjane Satrapi's The Voices (which played Sundance) is divisive and Atom Egoyan's The Captive (Cannes) was critically panned.
Can this Deadpool project reverse his trajectory? Does Ryan Reynolds even have any chances left?
Reader Comments (16)
Margaret: Only really if it's R-rated. (Knowing Fox, they'll cram it into a PG-13 framework, even though that's dumber than doing a PG-13 Wolverine film, closer to trying to do a PG-13 PUNISHER FILM.) Hopefully that's what the February drop IS about, but I would NOT count Fox out in the bottomless stupidity stakes.
My question is this: has there ever really been a movie that has displayed Reynolds as more than the vaguely fratboy-ish smartass persona that tends to permeate all of his performances? I'm not discounting him at all, but that is mainly what he capitalized on.
What is fascinating here is that his contemporary, his parallel in vaguely frat-boyish smartass who appeared in mostly mediocre if not outright terrible movies, is having the best phase of his career so far, and he did so by picking the better superhero and/or franchise manager. Chris Evans, hats off to you for making what ultimately ended up being the far better choice in the long term.
F: Well, that and the truth that would anyone have imagined Chris Evans, before that the consummate "frat-boy type", as the stiffly good, decent and out of place Captain America? Evans was stretched. And he succeeded. A well rendered Hal Jordan SHOULD HAVE been a similar stretch for Ryan Reynolds. It wasn't, one of the MANY failings of the Green Lantern movie.
I would be on board for a Deadpool movie if they do it right. Plus, I wouldn't have Ryan Reynolds in the film because he's just too limited as an actor.
Sam Rockwell would be great in this role.
@Volvagia - good point! It's interesting to look at articles when original casting choices were being debated online, and how delicious fanboy tears are when the actor proves them wrong, as is the case with Evans and of course, the best example of all, Heath Ledger.
If there are Ryan Reynolds fans here, would they be able to recommend a picture where he is markedly different from his usual type? I've seen Buried and The Nines, the latter primarily for Melissa McCarthy, and while he was perfectly fine in both, I didn't walk away from either movie with a desperate yearning to see more of him.
F- You know, I can't think of one... to me, Ryan Reynolds is a human smirk, and he only works when well cast for that quality.
@Margaret - to his detriment unfortunately. Looking at his IMDB credits is a dispiriting experience. I would think a role that puts a dark or villainous spin on the smirk would be the best approach to take, a la Julia Roberts being villainous in My Best Friend's Wedding.
I'm concerned over whether the film will keep intact Deadpool's meta delight in breaking the 4th wall and generally irreverent spirit, or whether the movie will water him down into a snarky Spiderman wannabe. The casting of Ryan I-Killed-Hal-Jordan Reynolds does not inspire hope, for all of the reasons folks have mentioned.
Paper Man: the movie's a mess, but the performances (including Reynolds') are strong.
Ryan Reynolds looks like a super hero- but he needs to have a better fit than the "Green Lantern"
Do your research. "The Voices" was NOT panned. It currently sits at 88 percent on Rottentomatoes.com. It's had 14 glowing reviews and 2 negative ones. Sloppy journalism here.
Jeanette - noted. that is correct. I made an adjustment to the article. I assume that number will fall in release because it's a deeply weird movie but for now the score is strong.
Ryan Reynolds is certainly easy on the eyes and charming/smarming, but I think he should look for a great TV project like his former co-star, Nathan Fillion (not that I would call Castle great, but Firefly certain was!). He seems to be the sort of actor who grows into a role, so a series would be a better fit for his talent and range. And I wouldn't mind seeing him each week, especially as an action-based, comedic character.
1. I don't get why Deadpool has to be rated R. The comics aren't, so why the move in that direction.
2. This will play to all of Reynolds' worst traits as an actor.
3. I don't want to see it.
Chris Evans did have some indie credit, though, no? Sunshine and all that.