Deadpool 2 Hires John Wick Director David Leitch

After plenty of speculation, it looks like Deadpool 2 has a director following Tim Miller's exit. According to The Hollywood Reporter, director David Leitch (John Wick) will be helming the film.

Last month, fans learned that Leitch was in the running to directo Deadpool 2 when his name was said to be a top contender for the coveted job. The director will be taking over for Tim Miller who surprisingly left the project after having directed the first superhero flick. The blockbuster fared extremely well at the box-office and with fans, but Miller ultimately left the sequel due to creative differences. Stories have since spread that Miller wanted to treat the second Deadpool flick like a traditional superhero film while star Ryan Reynolds wanted the movie to feel like another low-budget project. The director also allegedly had differing opinions about casting Cable, a time-traveling mutant, and the tone of Deadpool 2.

When Leitch's name surfaced as possible director for Deadpool 2, fans were excited to hear the name. The director gained a cult following after he co-directed John Wick starring Keanu Reeves. He is acting as an executive producer for John Wick 2 and has worked on other superhero projects in the past. Most notably, Leitch worked on X-Men Origins: Wolverine where Reynolds debuted as Deadpool. Well, mostly. Fans didn't warmly receive the film and its depiction of Wade Wilson, but audiences have clamored over the actor's recent iteration of the mouthy merc.

With Deadpool 2 added to his schedule, Leitch will have a busy few years ahead of him. The director has also been tapped to work on Cowboy Ninja Viking, an Image Comics adaptation starring Chris Pratt. He is also scheduled to direct Valiant's Bloodshot. Deadpool 2 will begin filming before either of those film enter production, but Leitch can rest assured he will have plenty of comic-based projects in his future.

NEXT: Fox and Marvel Swapped Deadpool And Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Characters / Deadpool 2 Will NOT Start Filming In Early 2017 / Tim Miller Departs Deadpool 2 / Ryan Reynolds Asked Fans For Deadpool 2 Input / Reynolds, Miller Clashed Over Cable Casting / Rumored Further Details On Tim Miller's Deadpool 2 Departure / John Wick's David Leitch In Running To Direct Deadpool 2

Deadpool 2 follows the top-grossing worldwide R-rated movie, and top-grossing film in the X-Men movie franchise. The first film was in development hell for over a decade, and only got made and released in the first place because of test footage that Tim Miller and Blur Studio created... and leaked, that starred Reynolds. The sequel is rumored for a January 2018 release.