Fox Finally Sees The Light! DEADPOOL Movie Set For 2016

By Adam Holmes on Thursday, September 18th, 2014

Comic book geeks around the world are collectively fist pumping, and rightly so. A project that’s been gestating in development hell for over five years is in ally becoming a reality. Guys, it’s happened. Deadpool is finally getting a movie! The first film appearance of marvel’s Merc Without a Mouth! What’s that? You’re saying he previously appeared in X-Men Origins: Wolverine? Yeah, you can show yourself out now. Aside from his first five minutes, that WAS NOT Deadpool!!!

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film is set for release on February 12, 2016, with Tim Miller as director. Ryan Reynolds hasn’t signed a deal to reprise he role of Wade Wilson, but the Reporter says “bets are that he will.” This news comes nearly two months after animated test footage for the Deadpool project made in 2013 was leaked online. The footage, which featured Reynolds’ voice, received a lot of positive reaction online and prompted fans to ask the obvious question: “Fox, why have you not made this film?” Seriously, if you were living under a rock back in July and missed the excitement, check out the awesomeness below.

Soon after, Reynolds commented on the wonders the leak may have done for the project.

The movie has been in a state of limbo for a while. There was such an overpowering reaction to the footage, you sort of feel like, ‘Oh, so we weren’t crazy for our reasons for loving this character, for loving this role.’ It’s interesting to see the power of the Internet. It’s awe-inspiring, actually. And it’s neat that Twitter and Facebook and Instagram can move mountains when used in the right way.

This announcement also comes as Fox makes several changes to its film slate. The Fantastic Four, originally set for release on June 19, 2015, has been pushed back to August 7, 2015. That date was originally assigned to the Assassin’s Creed film, which has been put on hold. Paper Towns, an adaptation of the John Green book, will take The Fantastic Four‘s original date.

Here we have a fine example of a gigantic company listening to what the fans want. Whether someone leaked that footage with or without Fox’s permission is irrelevant. They heard the positive reception, and they took action. The February release date looks weird at first, but as Captain America: The Winter Soldier taught us, comic book films can be successful outside of the summer and winter. Considering how successful Fox has been with their X-Men projects, this is definitely a good move, although keep Deadpool far away from the other mutants.