Fox taps 'Deadpool' writers
'Zombieland' duo to pen 'X-Men' spinoff, starring Ryan Reynolds

20th Century Fox is making progress with its "X-Men" spinoff, "Deadpool," and has tapped "Zombieland" scribes Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick to pen the screenplay.
Ryan Reynolds will reprise his role as the wisecracking mercenary he portrayed in last year's "X-Men Origins: Wolverine."

There is no timetable on the Marvel property, though Reynolds has a window after wrapping the "Green Lantern" this summer.

Reynolds has been bulking up to play the DC Comics' hero "Green Lantern," which starts lensing next month. This means he would already be in superhero shape if the script for "Deadpool" is ready by summer.

Reese and Wernick, who wrote "Zombieland," will stay true to the mythology of "Deadpool" given that Reynolds is a huge fan and protector of the property.

The tone of "Deadpool," which features an antihero as opposed to the more traditional heroic comicbook protagonist, is very similar in tone to "Zombieland."

Lauren Shuler Donner is producing "Deadpool."

Reese and Wernick, high school friends who began collaborating in 2001, most recently sold the pitch "Earth vs. Moon" to Universal Pictures. The pair penned a draft of "Venom" for Sony/Marvel.

Robert Rodriguez on 'Deadpool': 'It's a great script'

John Horn caught up with Robert Rodriguez on Monday to talk about the success of "The Expendables" and the epic fail of "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" at the box office for an earlier article, and the conversation turned toward the filmmaker's own plans.



Robert Rodriguez sounds like he's drawing a bead on "Deadpool." But will he pull the trigger?

“It’s a great script and a great property,” an enthusiastic Rodriguez said of the Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick ("Zombieland") screenplay that would bring the "merc with the mouth" from Marvel Comics to the screen in his own film adventure.



Rodriguez says he has been in meetings with Twentieth Century Fox about directing the film, which, presumably, would star Ryan Reynolds, who portrayed the glib gunman "X-Men Origins: Wolverine." Reynolds is becoming a major player in comic-book cinema considering his roles in next year's "Green Lantern" film, the planned "R.I.P.D." adaptation as well as his work in the "Blade" franchise.

Rodriguez, who just finished the final sound mix of "Machete," sounded gung ho about "Deadpool" but added that he is still debating his next project. “I’m just working everything out,” Rodriguez said, noting that he is choosing between three options for his next directing job. He said one is the long-discussed "Sin City 2" but he declined to name the other, though it could be "Nerveracker," a far-future thriller that was announced last year but hasn't moved as quickly as anticipated.