A Deadpool animated series developed by Donald and Stephen Glover was once in the works for FX, but Marvel Television ultimately decided against moving forward with the project (there have been suggestions, from Donald, that racism from the now-defunct production arm of Marvel Entertainment may have been a reason).
Now, a report shared by respected animation website Bubbleblabber reveals that "an animated Deadpool R-rated series for Hulu starring Ryan Reynolds in the lead role is being discussed."
This would be part of Disney's 20th Television Animation, a studio working on titles like The Simpsons, Family Guy, and Bob's Burgers. Given the rating, the series heading to Hulu makes sense, but overseas, it would probably end up on Disney+'s "Star" service. That would be a huge win for the streaming service internationally, as a show like this would generate a lot of excitement.
If this rumour is accurate, then Reynolds will be playing the Merc with a Mouth both in live-action on the big screen and in this animated series.
Deadpool creator Rob Liefeld was asked on Twitter if he was aware of these plans and responded simply with "Yes." It's unclear whether he was referring to the show itself or just the rumour. With any luck, this series will become a reality, and we'll hopefully have more to share with you soon.
Click on the "Next" button below to see
the MCU characters we want in Deadpool 3!
10. She-Hulk
We haven't met the Marvel Cinematic Universe's version of She-Hulk yet, but it's believed her series will be comedic in nature, so a team-up with Deadpool certainly wouldn't be outside the realm of possibility. What could lead to these two crossing paths is hard to say, though with Jennifer Walters set to defend superhumans in court, perhaps the Merc with the Mouth will find himself in legal trouble?
Even if that's not the case, Wade Wilson has faced The Hulk on more than one occasion, so why not have his cousin clash with Deadpool instead? (in what's sure to be a battle for the ages)
After all, the mercenary's healing factor means he could take quite the beating from an out of control She-Hulk, only to continue healing from whatever punishment she dishes out. That could be a lot of fun to watch unfold, and an exciting way to add the green-skinned hero to a top-tier franchise.
9. War Machine
Unfortunately, there's no more Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe following the events of Avengers: Endgame, but War Machine remains the next best thing.
Something tells us that General "Thunderbolt" Ross will forgive Rhodey for helping the Secret Avengers in Avengers: Infinity War given what happened next, so he's likely still working for the U.S. Government. If that's the case, then War Machine could very easily be dispatched to apprehend the Merc with the Mouth.
After all, he caused a hell of a lot of chaos in his first two solo outings, and it seems unlikely that such behaviour would go unanswered in the MCU. Seeing Deadpool battle a hero like War Machine would be a blast (no pun intended) and lead to some explosive, must-see action scenes.
8. Thor
Thanks to filmmaker Taika Waititi, Chris Hemsworth now gets to show off his comedic chops as Thor, and that arguably makes him the perfect match for Ryan Reynolds' quick-witted Deadpool.
The prospect of these two sharing the screen is nothing short of amazing, and watching the God of Thunder attempting to come to grips with a lunatic like the Merc with Mouth would be nuts. Thor is arguably the perfect choice of co-star in some ways, especially when he's a mainstay of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and someone who would make it clear where Deadpool now lives.
Their handful of team-ups in the comic books no doubt go a long way in making clear that this sort of meeting would be a huge draw for moviegoers and an adventure we could have fun with.
7. Rocket
With his friends dead and gone, Rocket ended spending quite a bit of time on Earth during Avengers: Endgame and familiarised himself with many of Earth's Mightiest Heroes in the process.
While he later rejoined his fellow Guardians, it wouldn't be outside the realm of possibility for Rocket to choose to return to "Terra," only to find himself face to face with Deadpool. The Merc with the Mouth becoming reluctant allies with this talking raccoon has all the makings of an instant classic, especially when it's Bradley Cooper that Ryan Reynolds would be trading barbs with.
Throw in their shared love of weaponry, and we could be looking at two firm friends here. Who knows, perhaps Deadpool could even choose to one day join the Guardians of the Galaxy!
6. Nick Fury
While Deadpool's solo franchise is likely to remain R-Rated, it would be crazy for Marvel Studios not to use the Merc with the Mouth in the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Nick Fury could very well be the person who introduces Wade Wilson to a much wider world of superheroes.
Regardless of who joins him in Deadpool 3, how much fun would it be for Samuel L. Jackson to appear in a post-credits scene parodying the one from 2008's Iron Man where he (fails) to recruit Wade?
This is a cameo that would just be fun more than anything else, but not taking advantage of the sort of weird dynamic a character like Deadpool would have with Nick Fury would be a major missed opportunity. Who knows, perhaps this Wade was once a mercenary who worked for S.H.I.E.L.D.?
5. Thanos
Avengers: Endgame introduced time-travel to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and, coincidentally, Deadpool 2 did the same thing for Fox's X-Men Universe back in 2018. If this threequel also makes use of Cable's ability to jump around the timeline, then perhaps we could see Thanos make his return?
It goes without saying this would be just another "fun" cameo, but just imagine the Mad Titan coming face-to-face with the Merc with the Mouth as he fails to understand why he can't destroy him!
The fact that Josh Brolin also plays Thanos would lead to some memorable fourth-wall breaking jokes, and if Cable is also part of this scene...well, that would be even better. Alternatively, this meeting could happen after Marvel Studios hilariously adds Deadpool to key moments in the MCU's history!
4. Doctor Strange
In Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the Sorcerer Supreme will be travelling through the Marvel Multiverse - alongside the Scarlet Witch - presumably visiting alternate realities in the process. Needless to say, it's entirely possible that's where Deadpool first appears in this shared world.
Having the Merc with the Mouth remember his "past life" as the only leftover from Fox's X-Men Universe would be pretty funny, but what if he later seeks out Strange's help to return there?
That could be what brings key supporting characters to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (Vanessa and Negasonic Teenage Warhead, for example), but either way, we'd love to see just how exasperated Strange would get with Deadpool as he deals with Wade Wilson's ramblings and fourth-wall breaks.
3. Spider-Man
Spider-Man in an R-Rated movie? It's hard to imagine in some respects, but with Sony Pictures looking to take advantage of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's popularity, they could be open to this.
The scenes the web-slinger appears in could be chosen carefully, of course, and there's no reason this would have to mean Peter Parker is dropping F-Bombs left, right and centre (just look at how Colossus was handled in those first two Deadpool movies). Regardless, fans want to see this team-up become a reality, and we're sure both Marvel and Sony would benefit from this.
By the time Deadpool 3 is released, he'll have been M.I.A. for a few years, so Spider-Man showing up will no doubt increase interest. Sony, meanwhile, benefits from having their star attraction appear in a movie that's almost certainly going to end up breaking more box office records!
2. Captain America
We don't know when exactly we'll get to see The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, but the Disney+ TV series will almost certainly end with Sam Wilson becoming the MCU's new Captain America.
Needless to say, a Captain America/Deadpool team-up has just as much potential as one with Thor, and watching these two butt heads would be wonderfully weird. With the former Falcon no doubt taking his new duties seriously, he could be sent to take Wade Wilson down, only to find himself reluctantly teaming up with the Merc with the Mouth in a zany, memorable adventure.
Anthony Mackie is a funny guy, so he could no doubt match wits with Ryan Reynolds relatively easily. This would be a great way to highlight this shared world's new Cap following Chris Evans' departure too.
1. Venom
Okay, we know Venom isn't part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but Sony is reportedly desperate for more crossovers, so stick with us. Deadpool merchandise is a huge seller, as are items sold based on Venom, and guess what? Disney owns the rights to them both in that respect.
By allowing Sony to promote their next Venom movie via Deadpool 3, Wade Wilson could be transformed into "Venompool," something you have to believe a lot of fans would kill to see on screen.
In return, Deadpool could make an appearance in Venom 3, and we're sure Spider-Man could factor into all this somehow as well. All the right ingredients are here for some sort of box office juggernaut that both Marvel and Sony would benefit from, so don't be surprise if this happens in the threequel!