Credit: 20th Century Studios
With Disney constantly reshuffling Marvel’s release slate, it only makes sense that the struggling superhero studio would have to prioritize some projects over others. And according to a new report, Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool threequel will take precedence over other buzz-worthy films and TV shows like Disney+’s Ironheart and the ill-fated Blade (2025).
Related: Reports Confirm Upcoming Marvel Movie Will Center Around ‘X-Men’
After a grueling 148-day strike, it’s finally pens up for the Writers Guild of America (WGA), who won their lengthy battle against major Hollywood studios in a historic labor stoppage when they reached an agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, or AMPTP, last month.
Now, many are crossing their fingers in hopes that striking members of The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) will follow suit, with performers from all corners of the entertainment industry currently on the picket line, fighting for protections against AI, fair pay, and a rethinking of residuals. Negotiations are ongoing, and, providing they go well, actors could return to work as early as next week.
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With all of Hollywood rushing to pick up where they left off, there will be a huge rush to resume production on countless TV shows and movies, and Marvel Studios is no exception. With a loaded release schedule spanning into the MCU’s Phase Six, the Disney-owned franchise was one of the hardest hit by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, and both companies are desperate to get cameras rolling again.
But amid the many projects currently on Marvel’s slate, one takes priority, according to a new report from The Wrap. The outlet was quick to shut down concerns regarding director Shawn Levy’s Deadpool 3 (2024) after rumblings the threequel wouldn’t meet its planned May 2024 release date made the rounds online back in August.
The source contradicted rumors of Deadpool 3 being pushed back due to the strikes, instead claiming that in Disney’s case, the R-rated MCU flick is said to be a “top priority.” According to the article, “the film has a lot of pressure on it to test whether the former Fox Marvel properties, now assimilated into the MCU, will provide extra value to the ongoing Multiverse saga.
This statement refers to Deadpool 3 marking the infamous Merc with a Mouth’s official MCU debut, as the first two installments were independent of the franchise’s interconnected narrative. There are also some high expectations for the comic book threequel, which co-stars Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine. The blockbuster is expected to feature several X-Men, including a rumored Taylor Swift/Dazzler cameo.
It’s rumored that the Deadpool/Wolverine team-up flick will see the two heroes rounding up a plethora of characters from alternate timelines so the Time Variance Authority (TVA), as seen in the Disney+ Loki show, can rebuild a new world when Kang’s Multiversal war begins.
While casting has yet to be confirmed for some characters, franchise vets Karan Soni (Dopinder), Leslie Uggams (Blind Al), Morena Baccarin (Vanessa), Stefan Kapicic (Colossus), Brianna Hildebrand (Negasonic Teenage Warhead), Shioli Kutsuna (Yukio), and Rob Delaney (Peter) will all reprise their roles for the threequel, alongside a few MCU newcomers.
Given that Deadpool 3 is expected to be an Avengers-sized event, it’s not exactly surprising that Disney and Marvel would like to keep that prime May slot for the film, which was filled by James Gunn’s critically acclaimed Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023) earlier this year.
Production began this past May and ran through July before those working on it were forced to leave the set in solidarity with the strike. According to Shawn Levy, the first round of shoots were “relentlessly awesome as we had all hoped it would be” before they were forced to shut down, which sounds like good news for those eagerly awaiting Wade Wilson’s return to the big screen.
However, this Deadpool 3 news comes amid a disappointing update for those looking forward to the upcoming 18-episode Daredevil reboot, Daredevil: Born Again, and Dominique Williams’ first MCU solo endeavor, Ironheart, which were originally slated to land on Disney+ in the new year.
Now, it’s expected that Ironheart will be delayed until September 2025, with Daredevil: Born Again reportedly being pushed to January 2025. With so much uncertainty surrounding the MCU — not to mention their ongoing Jonathan Majors/Kang problem — we can only hope that Deadpool 3 isn’t the next victim of these back-to-back postponements.
Deadpool 3 is currently set to arrive in theaters on May 3, 2024.
Do you think Deadpool 3 will be spared of any delays or postponements? Are you excited to see Wolverine and the Merc with a Mouth back in action? Let us know in the comments below!