Deadpool fans don't need to worry about Disney acquiring the rights to the Merc with a (foul) Mouth. In the wake of the announced Disney/Fox deal, CEO Bob Iger indicates R-rated films are on the table for Marvel Studios.
In a call to investors, Iger specifically broached the topic of Ryan Reynolds' popular take on one of Marvel's most irreverent X-Men characters. Stopping short of a full-throated promise that the franchise will maintain its adults only approach to storytelling, he does indicate Disney has no plans to change Deadpool to a PG-13 character.
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"[Deadpool] clearly has been and will be Marvel branded. But we think there might be an opportunity for a Marvel-R brand for something like Deadpool," Iger said. "As long as we let the audiences know what's coming, we think we can manage that fine."
What this means for other potential R-rated X-Men franchises remains unclear, of course. The success of Logan proved fans are interested in more mature Wolverine stories. X-Force, which is expected to spin out of Deadpool 2, has long been described as an ultra-violent film. While Iger's statement indicates the possibility that Marvel will follow through on those plans, the question of whether Disney wants to establish new R-rated franchises has not been broached.
Deadpool 2 arrives in theaters on June 1, 2018. The film stars Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, Josh Brolin, Zazie Beets, TJ Miller, Brianna Hildebrand, Stefan Kapicic, Leslie Uggams, Jack Kesy, Karan Soni, and Eddie Marsan.