UPDATE: Ryan Reynolds is refuting that Deadpool 2 has a new writer, saying that Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick are still writing the screenplay. This story is still developing.
Original story follows below.
It's not exaggerating to say that Deadpool was one of the biggest superhero movie successes last year. Thanks to its comedic originality, not only did it receive a lot of accolades (including Golden Globe nominations), but it also collected over $780 million worldwide off a $58 million budget. With a performance like that, it's no wonder 20th Century Fox greenly a sequel. Ever since the official Deadpool 2 announcement was made, Deadpool writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick have talked about the sequel like they've been working on it, but news just broke that apparently someone else is now tackling the script: The Martian's Drew Goddard.
According to Collider, Drew Goddard is currently working on the Deadpool 2 script with Ryan Reynolds, a.k.a. Deadpool himself. No reason was provided for why Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick are no longer tackling it, and it's unclear just how far they made it into the story before Goddard and Reynolds took over. This is the second major creative change to occur with Deadpool 2, as Tim Miller exited directing the sequel last year and was replaced by John Wick's David Leitch. Goddard was also eyed as a directorial candidate before Leitch snagged the job.
It's hard to imagine Deadpool 2 without the finalized story having been composed by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. Those two labored on Deadpool for years as it languished in development hell, and a significant amount of that movie's success was due to their comedy chops. Even though Drew Goddard and Ryan Reynolds are now taking over the writing process, hopefully at least some elements of Reese and Wernick's Deadpool 2 work will remain intact, rather than this being a page one rewrite-kind of deal. Fortunately, that latter option is unlikely since the sequel is expected to hit theaters in 2018.
As far as Drew Goddard goes, the man has plenty of experience in the sci-fi, fantasy and horror realms, having written Cloverfield, World War Z, The Martian and The Cabin in the Woods (which he also directed). On TV, his credits include Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Alias and Lost. This also won't be Goddard's first time in the world of superheroes, as he wrote the first two episodes of Netflix's Daredevil and was originally supposed to be the showrunner. He was also set to direct a Sinister Six movie for Sony back when the Amazing Spider-Man series was still going, but that was scrapped.
No official plot details for Deadpool 2 have been announced yet, but the blockbuster will introduce Cable and Domino, two longtime allies (and occasional adversaries) of the Merc with the Mouth's from the comics. It's also been confirmed that Colossus, Negasonic Teenage Warhead and Dopinder the cab driver will return for the sequel.
Stay tuned for to CinemaBlend for more updates on Deadpool 2 as they come in, and in the meantime, let us know what you think about Drew Goddard taking over as writer in the comments below.
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