Deadpool co-creator Rob Liefeld has called out Disney for not properly utilising the character, not just in films, but for video games and animated properties. He adds that he’s not aware of any ongoing entertainment discussions about using the character.
Speaking to IGN as part of our Comic-Con@Home livestream coverage, Liefeld was asked if Deadpool could lead another video game after his last starring role in 2013. His response went on to cover a lot more than just games:
“Why wouldn’t they?” Liefeld replied, “I’m just going to tell you right now: screw movies. Screw this whole Deadpool movie talk, OK? … Here’s what I would say. ‘Hey Disney, Hi. It’s Rob. You paid 70 billion dollars for Fox. OK? You paid 70 billion dollars. You can’t run your Disney parks, which are 50% of your overall earnings, they have been shut down for 5 months. You have no way to get your 3 billion dollars’ worth of movies to the theaters. No Mulan, no Black Widow, no Eternals.'”
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Liefeld’s point centers around the fact that with Deadpool 3 seemingly a non-starter for Marvel’s movie slate, Disney should be looking to monetise the character in different ways, particularly as the effects of the pandemic make drawn or digital animation more easily achievable (and monetisable) than live-action.
“Animators can work from home. Digital artists can work from home. […] Deadpool’s kind of popular. Deadpool cartoons, Deadpool video games – of course they should be making them. Iger, whoever is running the ship over there, what are you doing to get a return on your 70 billion dollars? […] Of course they should be making more Deadpool video games, of course they should be making a Deadpool cartoon. What the hell?”
Liefeld also points to the fact that other Marvel comics properties have been utilised successfully outside of the MCU umbrella, and seems to be hoping for his character to take a similar path:
“[Marvel Studios president] Kevin Feige, love you buddy, you’re a genius, but there are other geniuses. The guys that made Into the Spider-Verse? Geniuses. Disney had nothing to do with that. Disney had nothing to do with Deadpool, Deadpool 2, Logan. Let these other lieutenants make you a return on your investments. I don’t need another Deadpool movie, don’t need it – got two great ones. They’re perfect.”
Unfortunately, with all of Liefeld’s belief in the potential success of Deadpool properties, he doesn’t hold out much hope for them happening: “There’s a demand there, I hope they fill it, but I’m not sure they will.”
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When asked if he’d heard about talks regarding using Deadpool outside of comic books, Liefeld said, “There has been no Deadpool entertainment talks that I am aware of.” He added that movie talks were “above my paygrade”, but points out that the producers of the Deadpool movies, and stars like Josh Brolin, have contracts covering multiple films, which would seemingly not be extinguished by Disney’s purchase of Fox and its properties.
Notably, before Disney’s Fox acquisition, a Deadpool animated series from Atlanta’s Donald and Stephen Glover was cancelled during production, which the CEO of FX blamed on Marvel. (At the time, Marvel’s television output was overseen by Jeph Loeb; Marvel Television has since been brought under Kevin Feige’s purview, paving the way for greater synergy between Marvel’s movie and TV properties, including Disney+ series orders for TV shows featuring Marvel movie characters like The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, WandaVision, and Hawkeye.)
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It leaves Deadpool’s status in the entertainment industry somewhat in limbo. The character isn’t slated to appear in the MCU, but Deadpool 1 and 2 star Ryan Reynolds has previously said “we’re working on it”. However, Liefeld more recently said there was “no movement” on a Deadpool 3.
Check out our full Comic-Con 2020 panel schedule for all the panels, interviews, and previews you can expect during IGN’s Comic-Con@Home livestream.
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Joe Skrebels is IGN’s Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.
Source: IGN.com Deadpool Co-Creator Calls Out Disney For Not Using the Character