New ‘Deadpool’ Revealed, Ryan Reynolds Replaced

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Ryan Reynolds pointing as Deadpool

Credit: Marvel Studios

Ryan Reynolds nearly single-handedly willed the Deadpool film franchise into existence, but that doesn’t mean he can’t be replaced.

Deadpool dressed in a black and red superhero costume stands outdoors, holding a gun in one hand and pointing forward with the other hand. The costume has a mask covering their face, and a sword is seen strapped to their back. The background is a rocky terrain.
Credit: Marvel Studios

The idea of a massively popular film franchise based on Wade Wilson, AKA Deadpool, a somewhat popular Marvel Comics character with a vague relationship to the X-Men, was a longshot when Ryan Reynolds first played the character in X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009).

The film is widely regarded as the nadir of the Fox X-Men franchise, but the idea of Reynolds playing the irreverent yet deadly Merc with the Mouth managed to stick in the actor’s head.

Flash-forward to the present: the Fox X-Men franchise has been put into the ground by Dark Phoenix (2019), the Marvel Cinematic Universe is dithering about how it will bring mutants into the Sacred Timeline, and Hugh Jackman has retired as Wolverine after the triumph of Logan (2017).

Hugh Jackman with a solemn expression stands in the rain, his wet hair and clothes sticking to him, with blurred green foliage of the X-Men training ground in the foreground.
Credit: 20th Century Fox

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However, now that Disney owns the rights to the formerly Fox-owned mutant film territory, Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman are teaming up again for Deadpool & Wolverine, the Shawn Levy-directed great hope of the MCU. As decreed by Disney CEO and Marvel chief Kevin Feige, the third Deadpool film will be the only Marvel Studios film released this year, and it had better be a four-quadrant, billion-dollar hit.

The MCU seems to be banking on nostalgia for the Fox X-Men films bringing audiences back to theaters in droves, which is a decent bet. Landing Hugh Jackman was a big get, and it seems that the cameos from various mutant heroes and villains will just keep going as Wade Wilson and Weapon X fight their way through the assembled Multiversal forces of Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin).

A shot of Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin) in the shadows from behind
Credit: Marvel Studios

While most of those cameos are being highly protected from leaks, even Disney cannot stop the behemoth of cross-promotional marketing. A series of new film tie-in Funko Pops has spoiled several different Variants of its main protagonist, giving us hints of what other Deadpool characters and actors we might see. According to product descriptions, it appears the movie will involve:

Babypool:

A Funko Pop! figure of Wolverine in a yellow and blue suit with black mask accents and his claws extended. Beside him is a smaller Funko Pop! figure of Deadpool in his red and black suit, sitting cross-legged with hands placed in front.
Credit: Funko

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Kidpool:

A stylized Funko Pop! vinyl figure of Deadpool stands with arms outstretched, holding two yellow toy water guns. The figure is dressed in Deadpool's signature red and black costume, featuring large black eye patches and detailed textures.
Credit: Funko

And, the young people’s favorite, Headpool:

A Funko Pop figure of Deadpool stands with one hand on his hip and the other giving a thumbs-up gesture. The figure is dressed in a red and black suit with large black eye patches. Next to the figure is an additional accessory, a skull in a brown helmet with red drips.
Credit: Funko

All of the above Variants seem pretty straightforward. Babypool has his pacifier, Kidpool (who Marvel describes as “suffering from ‘conduct disorder,’ evidenced by his great difficulty in following rules and behaving in a socially acceptable way” at Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters) could be played by Walker Scobell, if rumors are true, and Headpool…well, he’s a decapitated head with a propellor beanie.

It’s anyone’s guess who is going to be playing Variants of Deadpool alongside Ryan Reynolds, but it turns out there’s room for a lot of actors.

Deadpool & Wolverine is currently scheduled to hit theaters on July 26. The film stars Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin as Cassandra Nova, Matthew Macfadyen as TVA agent Paradox, Morena Baccarin as Vanessa, Leslie Uggams, Karan Soni, Brianna Hildebrand, Aaron Stanford, and Jennifer Garner as Elektra from the Fox Daredevil franchise.

Who do you want to see play a Deadpool from across the Multiverse? List them below!

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