The geek world imploded yesterday when it was reported that Disney is working on purchasing the bulk of 20th Century Fox. Superhero fans immediately saw the potential in this business move: if it went ahead, it would mean that Marvel Studios, which is owned by Disney, could have access to the likes of the X-Men and the Fantastic Four, who were previously off-limits due to Fox retaining the rights.
It’s not just fans who are thinking along these lines, though. The Merc with a Mouth himself, Ryan Reynolds, who plays the X-Men franchise’s latest breakout character, Deadpool, took to Twitter to ruminate on what a Disney-owned Fox could mean for Wade Wilson. “If this is true, I wonder how the fudge it would affect Deadpool,” the actor joked, echoing the thoughts of Marvel lovers everywhere.
That’s a very good question, Mr Reynolds. It’s possible that Disney would simply keep the X-Men universe running just as it currently is. After all, with its newfound emphasis on spinoff movies like Logan and Deadpool and successful TV series, the franchise is in healthy shape. On the other hand, the House of Mouse would likely want to shuffle things up to put their own stamp on it. Perhaps even leading to a reboot or merger with the MCU.
Fans are currently split in two over this possibility. Some are overjoyed that, say, Deadpool could soon potentially team up with Spider-Man, as has been routinely called for in the past. On the other hand, though, some feel that Disney would ruin a character like the Merc as his R-rated edges would have to be sanded off to fit within the PG-13 realms of the MCU and Disney’s family-friendly image.
Right now, though, it’s not worth speculating any further, as we know just as much as Ryan Reynolds does about the situation. The entire landscape of superhero cinema could be completely rewritten or nothing important could change at all. It’s definitely an exciting development, though, and fans – as well as the stars of the movies themselves – will be eagerly awaiting more news on the topic.
Tell us, do you want to see Merc with a Mouth in the MCU? Or does the idea of a Disneyfied Deadpool fill you with horror? Have your say in the comments section below!