So after what feels like multiple attempts at becoming a superhero — he was originally pegged to play “The Flash,” in its first development iteration — Ryan Reynolds will finally become a man in tights on June 17 when “Green Lantern” hits screens. But what about the super villain role he already played in “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” and its intended spin-off film, “Deadpool,” aka the merc with the mouth over at 20th Century Fox?
Initially the idea of a “Deadpool,” spin-off film with the character hewing closer to the comic book — a sarcastic, fast-talking anti-hero — was something we just imagined would be talk that went nowhere, but then “Zombieland” writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick penned a pretty entertaining script and new Fox-stablemate Robert Rodriguez was offered the director’s chair. All systems pointed to a go film. Then reality struck. Reynolds had a tiny window to shoot the film and Rodriguez, who is currently in post on “Spy Kids 4,” knew there was no way he could make the shoot dates and passed on the project. Meanwhile, inventive Swedish commercial director Adam Berg started circling the directors chair, but there hasn’t been much news since. However, Empire recently spoke with Reynolds and received an update. It’s both positive and negative for those that want to see the picture made with Reynolds in the lead.
“‘Deadpool’ is still in the works,” Reynolds said giving hope to those that though the project might be potentially dead. “I’m not sure how logistically it works in terms of scheduling, but yeah, I want it to happen,” he said somewhat less optimistically.
But Reynolds’ busy dance card is freeing up somewhat. He’s currently lensing “Safe House,” while “The Change-Up” with Jason Bateman shot in late 2010/early 2011 and his next project, “R.I.P.D.,” is rumored to shoot this summer in Boston. After that the only “concrete” project that Reynolds has ostensibly going is “Green Lantern 2,” but he has been quietly circling other projects and who knows, those could be announced later this year as well.
As for the similarities of “Deadpool” and “Green Lantern” Reynolds doesn’t see it and simple thinks they’re different characters all together even if they’re technically super-heroes. “Those two universes are completely different,” says Reynolds. “Superhero movies are so pervasive in pop culture, I don’t look at the as superhero roles as much as just roles. They’re such different people. Deadpool is about a guy in a highly militarized shame spiral, Green Lantern is more universally themed.”
“Green Lantern” hits theaters June 17 via Warner Bros. If “Deadpool” loses Reynolds and can’t find a strong replacement (Bradley Cooper?), we assume it will join the long list of projects that once had heat, but then quickly cool off into the world of limbo. — Edward Davis