Preliminary filming on Deadpool 2 is underway. Ryan Reynolds has taken to Twitter to post pics of himself in the skin-tight costume in front of the X-Men mansion and on set. There are a number of co-stars that we know are down to join Reynolds in the souped-up sequel, from Josh Brolin as a jacked Cable to Zazie Beetz as Domino. What we didn't expect was for Deadpool 2 to dive into the Skux Life by hiring Hunt for the Wilderpeople standout Julian Dennison. Check this photo out:
Julian Dennison is a champion. A hero to any of us who managed to see him in Taika Waititi's irreverent, offbeat buddy comedy The Hunt for the Wilderpeople. Young Dennison memorably played Ricky Baker, a foster child sent to live with an unusual couple in the bush of New Zealand. Through a series of escalating events, Dennison bonds with the gruff Sam Neill (perfectly cast), and the two "men" become the targets of a manhunt that's as hilarious as it is exciting.
What The Hunt for the Wilderpeople proved, beyond a shadow of a doubt, is that Julian Dennison has a unique sense of humor -- even at a young age -- that could play beautifully off of Ryan Reynolds' dry wit. Get a sense of his approach in this trailer from Taika Waititi's comedy:
Taika Waititi was one of the first to break the news of Julian Dennison's involvement in the developing Deadpool 2, proudly tweeting the existence of the photo of "Ricky Baker" riding on Wade Wilson's back. We know nothing about how Dennison will be used in the action comedy. Seeing as how the presence of Cable means that time travel is a possibility, there actually are precious few boundaries surrounding Deadpool 2, in general. I really hope that Ryan Reynolds and director David Leitch blow the doors off, because after the first movie, our expectations are high.
Deadpool 2 will be one of three X-Men related films hitting theaters in 2018. The busy year for FOX will kick off with a New Mutants movie on April 13, followed by Deadpool 2 on June 1, and X-Men: Dark Phoenix on November 2. Ryan Reynolds slips back into the role of the Merc with a Mouth, and we're hoping that the sequel aims for the lower-budget, mature tone of its immediate predecessor, while also expanding the world to go into some dark corners that were suggested at in the Deadpool comics. Stay tuned for more details as they arrive.
