Deadpool in the Marvel Cinematic Universe: Why the entry of the R-Rated superhero will be a refreshing change
In 2019, Disney acquired Fox, leaving the fate of the Fox-owned Marvel films up in the air. There is much frenzied speculation that along with the Fantastic Four and X-Men, Deadpool would enter the enormously successful Disney-owned Marvel Cinematic Universe. The first two 'Deadpool' films, which were Fox productions, were glowing successes after a rough start. Ryan Reynolds, who plays the character, had expressed his interest back in 2004 itself that he wanted to bring Deadpool to life. After legal glitches, Reynolds pursued his dream. However, his first outing as Deadpool in 'X Men Origins: Wolverine', is a stark contrast from the snippy portrayals in 2016 and 2018. In the Wolverine film, Deadpool was stripped off his snarky humor and other qualities that had made the comic-book counterpart endearing to fans. The film received negative reviews, and Reynold's portrayal was criticized heavily.
But it seemed to have been written in the stars, as the higher-ups at Fox got their hands on leaked test footage of the actor in 2014, which made them realize that a 'Deadpool' film has definite promise. And so, Deadpool came to life with his standalone film and became the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time in 2016, which was then beaten by 'Deadpool 2' and later 'Joker' in 2019.
Now it remains to be seen if the R-rated superhero character makes his way to the MCU, who would have to bend the rules–the MCU or Deadpool. It could go two ways, 'Deadpool' could be the first R-rated film in the MCU, which would definitely give it a new and fresh twist. We have been used to the stoic Avengers saving the day, with grand musical themes echoing in the background. While each of them have been brought something new to the table, a swearing superhero is what we need, with more greys in him.
Or second and a rather lukewarm option is that Deadpool would become Disney-fied and the essence of the character we know and love would be snapped away. The essence of the character deserves to be retained, as that's what made the first two films work.
Another big problem is, if the Deadpool we know and love appears in the MCU, does this mean that the universe is shared by Cable and Thanos, played by Josh Brolin both? That would undoubtedly lead to some confusion. Disney would have to find a way to work around keeping the insolent hero, who has been ushered in from another universe, and keep the fresh charm intact. It wouldn't do at all to have a toned-down Deadpool, at all. Last year, Marvel Studios Kevin Feige has assured that the Disney character will not be changed, but there have been no further updates. The timeline is uncertain, as even 'Deadpool' creator Rob Liefield has said that 'Deadpool 3' isn't on the priority list for Marvel.
Meanwhile, Reynolds thinks its time for an R-rated Deadpool to enter the Marvel Cinematic Universe. On Hugh Jackman's post where he celebrated the release of 'X Men: Days Of Future Past' for Disney+, Reynolds wrote, "Excited for them to do the same for Deadpool, it’s time children knew," leading fans to be stoked about Deadpool standing beside the Marvel heroes.