Following Deadpool & Wolverine's $1.3 billion success in 2024, we'd expected a follow-up to receive the green light almost immediately. Then, last May, we learned that Ryan Reynolds was in the early stages of writing a new Deadpool movie featuring the Merc with a Mouth and "three or four" X-Men characters.
Separate from Jake Schreier's X-Men reboot, Reynolds was said to be working independently of the studio, meaning it hadn't been officially greenlit (it's no secret that Kevin Feige turned down several of his Deadpool 3 pitches, so it may have greatly evolved since the news broke).
The trades broke the news about Reynolds' plans, and social media scoopers later claimed to have learned that it's an X-Force—or, at the very least, an X-Force-inspired—movie. We haven't heard much since then, but the writer and actor shared a positive update while speaking with Today.
"I have some stuff kind of written," Reynolds revealed, confirming that Deadpool will be taking a backseat if and when the project happens. "I think he’s a supporting character. He’s a guy that is great in a group."
This echoes other remarks from the Deadpool franchise star, and it seems the idea is for it to be an ensemble rather than a full-blown solo outing.
The big question is how any such project will fit into Marvel Studios' wider plans for the X-Men. While we know that a new MCU will be created in the wake of Avengers: Secret Wars, serving as a soft reboot for the franchise, it's possible that the Multiverse will still exist and that X-Force would play out in a parallel reality.
At the same time, it's no secret that the studio has big plans for the X-Men. If the team is already established when we meet them, it would arguably be easy enough to explain X-Force's presence in the MCU.
Deadpool had a memorable stint with the team during Rick Remender's X-Force run. In that, the anti-hero was paired up with Wolverine, Archangel, Psylocke, and Fantomex. We also know that Reynolds was eager to develop an X-Force movie when the X-Men rights were still with 20th Century Fox.
In fact, that was expected to be released before what was then Deadpool 3. Of course, the Disney/Fox merger closed the door on any future Marvel movies from the studio behind X-Men: Dark Phoenix and Fantastic Four.
Previously, Reynolds said, "If [Deadpool] becomes an Avenger or an X-Man, we're at the end. That's wish fulfilment, and we can't give him that." While he likely won't join either team, the mercenary is expected to appear in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.