Deadpool Writer Clarifies Plans For X-Force And Deadpool 3

Deadpool about to jump out of a plane

It's no secret that superhero movies are everywhere. With tons of studios wanting in on the comic book fun, critics have begun to fear superhero fatigue, where the genre will become overly saturated and therefore not exciting. Certain properties have managed to bring something totally unique to the table-- just look at Ryan Reynolds and the Deadpool franchise.

2016's Deadpool shattered all expectations, proving that R-rated movies were viable for massive box office success. Furthermore, the franchise's fourth wall breaking tone is equal parts unique and hilarious, with Deadpool 2 also garnering as much praise as the original. But Deadpool creator Rob Liefeld recently hinted that the announced X-Force movie might be dead in the water. Now Deadpool writer Rhett Reese has clarified the timeline for both that movie and Deadpool 3, saying:

According to the chronology that we've established, X-Force will be next, before Deadpool. It's a bit of the 'Iron Man 1, Iron Man 2, The Avengers, Iron Man 3' model, in that sense. X-Force isn't being written by us. It's being written and directed by Drew Goddard, or at least that's the plan right now. We're not involved with that one. We do anticipate there will be a Deadpool 3 at some point, but it's just a little premature, because it will definitely take a backseat to X-Force for the time being.

Well, that's a relief. It seems that 20th Century Fox hasn't abandoned the X-Force movie just yet, despite the upcoming merger with Disney. As for when those next movies could arrive, it's a mystery.

Rhett Reese's comments to Screen Rant will no doubt be a relief to Deadpool fans out there, who are hoping for the X-Force to become a serious part of the overarching franchise. Because while Wade Wilson assembled a scrappy group of fighters in Deadpool 2, the team didn't land on their first mission without perishing in grisly ways. If at first you don't succeed.

This new report is in direct juxtaposition to what Deadpool creator Rob Liefeld said just days ago. Liefeld is an active Twitter user, and recently claimed that the X-Force movie was a victim of the Fox/Disney merger, and would no longer be produced. But Rhett Reese arguably knows more about the plans for the Deadpool franchise, given his involvement as co-writer. So who is wrong here?

It's also worth nothing that Rhett Reese isn't actually writing X-Force. As such, there's always the possibility that he might not be privy to the latest updates on that ensemble project, and Rob Liefeld had the right intel. We'll just have to wait and see how it all shakes out, as the upcoming merger continues to put the future in jeopardy.

CinemaBlend will keep you updated on all things Deadpool, X-Force, and X-Men. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your trips to the movies this year.

Corey Chichizola
Movies Editor

Corey was born and raised in New Jersey. Graduated with degrees theater and literature from Ramapo College of New Jersey. After working in administrative theater for a year in New York, he started as the Weekend Editor at CinemaBlend. He's since been able to work himself up to reviews, phoners, and press junkets-- and is now able to appear on camera with some of his favorite actors... just not as he would have predicted as a kid. He's particularly proud of covering horror franchises like Scream and Halloween, as well as movie musicals like West Side Story. Favorite interviews include Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, Jamie Lee Curtis, and more.