Deadpool creator Rob Liefeld
wasn't a huge fan of the idea of Disney acquiring the rights to his beloved R-rated character. Now that
the deal is done though, there's nothing he can do but sit back and see what the future holds.
Speaking to ComicBook.com, Liefeld seems a little more at ease following the acquisition and comments by Disney CEO Bob Iger.
[Disney CEO] Bob Iger didn’t deliver this unprecedented level of historic success for Disney by accident. This man gets it. He understands the culture and more importantly he understands the concerns of the fans. Addressing the Deadpool issue right out of the gate gets high marks and in all honesty, why would they mess with the success that Ryan Reynolds has achieved as Deadpool? The next person I encounter that tells me they want a neutered version of Ryan’s Deadpool will be the first person to express that to me. So smart of Iger to lay that foundation of trust and I for one am so appreciative. It definitely alleviated a concerned Deadpool base."
Liefeld is referring to
Iger's initial statements to investors following the Disney/Fox deal in which he hinted
"there might be an opportunity for a Marvel-R brand for something like Deadpool. As long as we let the audiences know what's coming, we think we can manage that fine."
Leading up to the acquisition, fans (and Liefeld) were understandably concerned that Disney's family-friendly brand could mean a possible neutering for the more adult-themed comic book movies. Given the success we've seen with R-rated comic book films of late, like
Deadpool and
Logan, it would be a shame if Disney put an end to them. Assuming Iger is true to his word, it sounds like there's still a place for these types of movies.
For his part,
Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds, who plays the Merc with a Mouth,
issued his own fitting response to the acquisition.