The Merc With a Mouth’s future appears to lie with Disney – or, at least, we thought it did before Comcast tabled a superior, all-cash bid for Fox early this morning.
Be that as it may, the possibility of Deadpool rubbing shoulders with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes is enough to leave comic book fans weak at the knees, and it’s fair to say that the Merc’s founding father, Rob Liefeld, has no qualms about the potential merging of brands. But he does have one condition.
While appearing on the ReelBlend podcast, Liefeld stressed that a Deadpool/Marvel crossover would only work if Ryan Reynolds was behind the wheel, as the actor has been instrumental in bringing the famed anti-hero to the forefront of the comic book movie industry.
Only if Ryan [Reynolds] calls the shots. … If Ryan is not the guy who is helming that ship, then who cares? If Ryan is given everything that he deserves, and they say ‘You can do your own thing over here under Disney.’
Providing the Disney-Fox merger falls into place, and Comcast withdraws its bid, Rob Liefeld went on to consider the ways in which Marvel Studios could draft Deadpool into the picture, beginning with the moment when Ryan Reynolds walks on stage at SDCC to shake hands with Robert Downey Jr. Now there’s your money shot.
Let’s say that goes through. So, now, I can not imagine a world where the reaction — if on stage, let’s say a Hall H or a D23, clearly, one of the places this will happen, Ryan coming out as Josh [Brolin] did last year. … Can you imagine, that same scene, Ryan walking out to shake hands with [Robert] Downey Jr.? I mean, I think the world would go bazonkers. And you know, having him interact with them, I think, is next level, billion dollar… I don’t know how that doesn’t work out spectacularly well.
Alas, this acquisition is far from complete, and it remains to be seen whether Disney responds with an increased offer of its own. We will, as always, though, be keeping a close eye on the possible merger over the coming weeks, along with Deadpool 2‘s continued success at the global box office.
