“John Wick” co-director David Leitch has been brought on board “Deadpool 2,” replacing director Tim Miller, TheWrap has learned.
Leitch is best known for his stunt work, but turned in an impressive directorial debut with the 2014 Keanu Reeves action film, which he co-directed with Chad Stahelski. Leitch recently left “John Wick 2” in order to prep the Charlize Theron spy film “The Coldest City.”
Leitch is represented by WME.
Miller, who directed the first “Deadpool,” left the project over creative differences with star Ryan Reynolds. As TheWrap reported exclusively, Miller and Reynolds differed over the tone of the film.
In initial sequel talks, Reynolds and screenwriters Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick envisioned a “scrappy,” raunchy and inexpensive movie in the same vein as the first.
Miller, known more for his visual flair than for the brash antics that Reynolds and his writers embraced and that fans loved, wanted a more stylish take, one that would compete with mega-budget superhero movies, insiders said. But it would have cost three times as much as the original $58 million film.
“Deadpool 2” does not currently have a release date. It was written by Reese and Wernick, and will feature popular character Domino, who, like Deadpool, is a former mercenary.
The part is hotly coveted, and those who have screen-tested for it include Kelly Rohrbach, Eve Hewson, Ruby Rose, Mackenzie Davis, Lizzy Caplan, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Sienna Miller, Sofia Boutella, Stephanie Sigman and Sylvia Hoeks.
Mashable first reported this news.