Deadpool and Taylor Swift are buddies now, but what about the time she got the superhero canceled?

Ryan Reynolds and Taylor Swift‘s friendship has blossomed recently, with Deadpool becoming an important part of it. So, it’s hard to imagine Swift might have pulled the plug on the antihero years ago.

Reynolds and Swift share playful interactions on social media and even collaborate on promotional content for Deadpool, creating a beloved connection between the Grammy-winner singer and Marvel’s Merc with a Mouth. At first glance, one could imagine that Swift is a fan of Deadpool’s fourth-wall-breaking antics and celebrity jokes. However, she might have been one of the reasons why a Deadpool animated series never saw the light of day.

A viral tweet recently claimed that Taylor was behind the cancellation of Deadpool, a series that would star Donald Glover as the voice of Marvel’s hooded mercenary. However, the truth is more complicated than that.

Did Taylor Swift play a part in the cancellation of 2018’s Deadpool animated series?

In 2017, FX announced plans for an adult animated series based on the popular character, with Donald Glover and his brother Stephen Glover at the helm. Fans were eager to see the Merc with a Mouth brought to life in animated form. However, the project was ultimately shelved in March 2018, leaving many to wonder what went wrong.

Following the cancellation announcement, rumors circulated that Donald Glover’s busy schedule was to blame. However, Glover quickly dispelled these notions by releasing a 15-page script titled “Finale” on his Twitter account. This meta-script addressed the cancellation directly and took jabs at Marvel and the entertainment industry as a whole. The script, which is no longer available, underlined how the main reason for the cancellation was Marvel wanting to sell Deadpool toys to children, which wouldn’t be possible if an adult series aired.

The script’s release was bold, demonstrating Glover’s commitment to the project and his frustration with the cancellation. It also highlighted his and his brother’s creative vision for the series, which apparently included pushing boundaries and tackling controversial topics. So, what does it have to do with Swift?

As it turns out, a Taylor Swift-themed episode may have played a significant role in the show’s demise. In a now-deleted tweet, Stephen Glover revealed, “There really was a Taylor Swift episode. It was HILARIOUS. And it definitely was the last straw lol.” This statement suggests that the content of this particular episode was a significant point of contention between the creators and the network.

Is blaming Swift for the TV show cancellation a stretch? It is unlikely that the singer was even aware of script discussions for the series behind closed doors at FX’s headquarters. Yet, is it possible that Marvel executives feared Swift’s reaction to being so prominently featured in their animated series that they pulled the plug on the show?

Now that Disney bought Fox and got the mutants back, and Deadpool & Wolverine is breaking box office records, maybe it’s time for Marvel Studios to reach out to the Glover brothers and let them refurbish the project. By the looks of it and thanks to MCU’s fresh friendship with the Folklore singer courtesy of Reynolds, Swift wouldn’t mind.