Deadpool Writers Reportedly Returning for Shawn Levy’s Deadpool 3

Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, who wrote Deadpool and co-wrote Deadpool 2 with star Ryan Reynolds, are reportedly set to return for Deadpool 3. The threequel, which will happen under Disney’s Marvel Studios after the 2019 acquisition of Fox, has found its director in Reynolds’ Free Guy and The Adam Project filmmaker Shawn Levy. According to The Hollywood Reporter, who broke the news Friday, Reese and Wernick are back after Deadpool 3 moved forward with new writers Wendy Molyneaux and Lizzie Molyneaux-Loeglin (Bob’s Burgers, The Great North) in 2020.

Reese and Wernick wrote 2016’s Deadpool, directed by Tim Miller, and the 2018 sequel from director David Leitch. Reynolds, who produced Deadpool 2 through his Maximum Effort banner, received his first writing credit on the sequel scripted with Reese & Wernick. 

Outside of Marvel, Reese and Wernick wrote Zombieland and its sequel,  G.I. Joe: Retaliation, and sci-fi horror Life, which also starred Reynolds. Last year, Marvel Studios president and producer Kevin Feige told ComicBook’s Phase Zero podcast Reynolds was “working very hard on [the script] with our writers as we speak.” 

The writing duo previously told ComicBook they would “do everything with Ryan, every single project if we could,” including a Deadpool 3 set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 

“We definitely we want to play in the sandbox,” Reese said in 2019. “One of the great things about the MCU is how rich and broad it is. For instance, just think about the world of villains, how great the world of villains are. We’re never able to use a lot of those villains because they were on the MCU. Well, now we can. So, right away, we’re definitely excited about getting the shot to do that. I think Ryan is too. I think the MCU people are too, just the idea of throwing Deadpool into the mix is exciting to them.”

Reese added: “I would not at all be shocked to see a really fun crossover that we’re taking advantage of all the tools at our disposal and all the rich characters at our disposal.”

Disney-Marvel has not announced a release date for Deadpool 3. The Adam Project, starring Reynolds and directed by Levy, is now streaming on Netflix. 

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