Despite the fact that sequels are some of the most typical movies that we receive on an annual basis, they're also some of the hardest movies to pull off correctly. It's a delicate balancing act of giving audiences something new (yet identifiable), and not every sequel manages to pull it off. The crew behind Deadpool 2 seems to understand how much pressure is on them to live up to the reputation of the original, and they have made a concerted effort to try and avoid "sequelitis." Deadpool screenwriter Rhett Reese explained:
I think we definitely kept our sights on the sequels that have succeeded, because there have been sequels like Godfather Part 2 and The Road Warrior... Aliens. I would say Spider-Man 2, X-Men 2 I enjoyed more than the first...so there are definitely examples of sequels that either equal or surpass the first, and that's what we're trying to keep our eye on, because we don't want to be accused of making a sequel that is not nearly as good as the first--there are plenty of examples of those. So it's just about quality control and making sure you don't settle and making sure you strike new ground but also tap into what was successful about the first one. It's a fine line. I hope we can write it.
Rhett Reese made it pretty clear that he and Paul Wernick have some lofty goals when it comes to writing Deadpool 2 during their conversation with LRM, but the overall creative direction of the project seems encouraging. Their ultimate goal is to recapture everything that fans loved about the original Deadpool, while also going into new territory that they couldn't approach in the first film. Part of that strategy involves bringing in new characters (such as Domino), and part of that involves expanding and altering the roles of existing characters like Colossus and Negasonic Teenage Warhead.
Building off of the Spider-Man and X-Men examples, this means expanding the scope of the conflict and moving away from origin stories. Now that Deadpool has established Wade's personality, powers, and general sensibilities, the next movie can expand its scale into new territory -- even if it doesn't broaden its budget or cast size. They would also be wise to move away from the love story angle of the first film, as another story revolving around Vanessa (Morena Baccarin) and Wade could feel like a rehash. With Cable about to enter the fray, we think they should reframe the narrative to skewer buddy movie conventions -- in the same way that the first film skewered romantic comedy conventions.
All that being said, despite concerns over whether or not Deadpool 2 will suffer from sequelitis, the fact of the matter is that it already appears to be on the right track. Check out the recent Deadpool 2 teaser that accompanied the release of Logan below.
Deadpool 2 is slated for a 2018 release. Make sure to check out our 2017 movie premiere guide for more information concerning the rest of 2017's theatrical debuts!
