While initially considered a huge risk, despite only costing $58 million to produce,Deadpoolpaid off in a huge way for 20th Century Fox, becoming not only the highest grossingX-Menmovie, but also the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time, with a worldwide gross of $783.1 million. We reported last month that its sequel,Deadpool 2, willstart productionthis summer, although a specific release date hasn’t been set at this time.DeadpoolwritersRhett ReeseandPaul Wernickare coming back to write the sequel, with the writers revealing in a new interview that this follow-up will help set the table for 20th Century Fox’sX-Forcemovie.
The studio’sX-Forcemovie was first set up in 2013, withKick-Ass 2filmmakerJeff Wadlowcoming aboard to write the script, based on the comics byDeadpoolcreatorRob Liefeld. Just beforeDeadpoolhit theaters,Ryan Reynoldsrevealed in an interview that getting anX-Forcemovie off the ground has become a “priority” for him, with other reports claiming the studio wants to makeX-Forcean R-rated movie, following the success ofDeadpool.Collidercaught up withRhett ReeseandPaul Wernick, who revealed that theirDeadpoolsequel will set up the impendingX-Forcemovie. Here’s whatRhett Reesehad to say about theDeadpool 2andX-Forceconnections below.
“There is a responsibility we have to theX-Force universe, and I do think we will not disappoint the fans going intoDeadpool 2and then setting up X-Force and beyond. Its purpose is not to set upX-Force. It will likely set upX-Force, but the drive of the movie won’t be our eyes on Movie 3.”
In the post-credits sequence ofDeadpool, the Merc With the Mouth confirmed that the Marvel Comics characterCablewill be introduced inDeadpool 2. Cable was a member of theX-Forceteam in the comics, which was made up of a group who handled black-ops missions such as assassinations. AnotherX-Forcecharacter, Domino, has since been confirmed to be inDeadpool 2, so their introduction into theX-Forcegroup will most likely go through those two characters. While he wouldn’t offer any specifics,Paul Wernickdid have this to say about howDeadpool 2will still center on aDeadpoolstory.
“We never want to let the tail wag the dog. We want to tell the best Deadpool story we can. But I do think we have a responsibility to think about a larger universe in the way that Marvel does and start to put pieces in place. Some of these movies feel overstuffed and almost choking with the need to set up eighteen different things that pay off down the road, and we want to avoid that responsibility to the extent that it hurts us. We want to hint at things, we want to plan some characters, and we want to make some nods, but we’re very, very cognizant about making sure that Deadpool is above all aDeadpool movie.”
These comments come just a few days afterRhett ReeseandPaul Wernickteased there will be a lot of new characters inDeadpool 2, although they didn’t name any specific characters. 20th Century Fox hasn’t set a production schedule forX-Forcequite yet, and it remains unclear ifJeff Wadlowis still attached to the project. WithDeadpool 2gearing up to start shooting this year, hopefully we’ll hear more about how this sequel will set upX-Force, and when that movie may go into production.
