Deadpool Creator Calls Out Fox: Is The Movie In Trouble?

It’s been a while since we heard anything about the live-action solo debut of Marvel’s Deadpool. The film, despite being set to feature Ryan Reynolds reprising his character from X-Men Origins: Wolverine, will not be directly connected to the storyline of that film. Therefore, this direct spin-off that would be a reboot, was set to start anew with a gritty script by Zombieland scribes Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, which has been said to be filled with the sarcastic, dark humor that embodies Deadpool’s comic book exploits. Yet, there seems to be some dragging of the feet over at 20th Century Fox. Whether this delay was due to the curve-ball Warner has thrown them by monopolizing star Ryan Reynolds with back-to-back sequels to next summer’s Green Lantern, the official reason for the production’s inertia remains a mystery. One person who’s certainly had his fill of the setbacks is the character’s creator Rob Liefeld, who as of late, has been using Twitter as his soapbox to play ombudsman to the stalled film production. His latest tweets have been nothing short of a glove slap to the studio and it’s pretty clear that he wants the movie made in the worst way — and made right.

As Liefeld tweets:

“Dear FOX studios, get your act together. Deadpool is not Green Lantern, not a family film. DP is “filthy” think Expendables $$ w/ RR.”

“Also FOX, find your balls and film the script from Rheese and Wernick. You will make loads of money and thank yourself later.”

“FOX is always worrisome to me @JStud_ Not exactly the greatest track record. DP is in their hands.”

“Dear FOX, these five will show up and slice your nutz if you screw DP up! http://twitpic.com/3c8ym2”

The famous publisher and penciller has certainly been preaching to the choir when it comes to Fox’s bizarre handling of its comic book properties, most notably the last few outings in the X-Men franchise. Deadpool is undoubtedly a sacred cow among fans and the way he was handled in Origins is just so plain bizarre that I get the impression fans are still trying to take it all in. Rebooting from that incarnation, (despite using the same star,) is a good opportunity for a fresh start. The question, however, is whether or not Fox is going to take advantage of that.

With rumors of Robert Rodriguez’s interest in directing the film faded, the name of up and coming Sweedish director Adam Berg has been floating around as the assumed front-runner. Making his reputation directing music videos by Kent, The Cardigans, and A-Ha, he’ll be directing his first feature with next year’s IN. Yet, even if some things seem to be lining up, Fox may have to end up waiting a while for the schedule of Ryan Reynold to clear. Will they have the patience?

If we were to take Liefeld’s tweets as an indicator, the reluctance by Fox to move forward may be due to some cold demographic studies that could be steering them towards a more PG-13 route. If, indeed there is some hesitation to go with the Reese/Wernick script, then it may be what’s justifying Liefeld’s pure emotion. As he states in one of his tweets:

“It boils down to this, Ryan Reynolds, Mr. Sexiest Man alive paired with best comic script ever written, no-brainer….make Deadpool happen!”

So, we might be looking at both a film with its star tied-down and a gritty, fan-friendly direction that could be in jeopardy. On the other hand, Ryan Reynolds still seems enthusiastic for the project in interviews, and Fox seems to have made some good moves recently by bringing Mathew Vaughn on board for X-Men: First Class (even though it’s a film few seem to want), and by embracing a sophisticated helmer in Darren Aronofsky for The Wolverine, the follow-up to last year’s Origins that, like Deadpool is also not connected to that film. (Lots of love going around for Origins, huh?)