LEGO says a new Deadpool is ‘going to be difficult’ – but Ryan Reynolds can make it happen

The LEGO Group says returning to Deadpool is ‘going to be difficult for us’, but there is one possible route to the release of a new minifigure – with a little help from Ryan Reynolds…

Now that the X-Men have returned in full force to the LEGO Marvel pantheon, and the Fantastic Four are reportedly right around the corner, Deadpool is basically the biggest hole in the theme’s current line-up as far as the latest comic book movies are concerned. But that’s with good reason: all three of his films are rated 15 in the UK and R in the US, which puts them (and by extension the character) beyond the LEGO Group’s reach.

“Deadpool is difficult for us because his iconic movies are all 18+, which makes it very difficult for the LEGO Group to approach,” LEGO Marvel designer Mark Stafford told MiniSuperHeroesToday. “There are things within those movies we don’t want kids to be watching, from a LEGO point of view.”

Deadpool didn’t originate on the silver screen, of course – and while Ryan Reynolds, who plays Wade Wilson in all three of the mercenary’s live-action films, has leaned into more adult themes, the comic book version of the character is a little more toned down. That opened the door once before to a LEGO Deadpool minifigure, but it’s effectively closed for now thanks to the popularity of the movies.

“Deadpool himself as a character in the comic books is also quite ruthless, but so funny and sometimes he plays for jokes, and it would be nice to do one of those Deadpools,” Mark added. “But as long as the most iconic one is 18+ it’s going to be difficult for us. We have done a Deadpool minifigure in the past, but it was before his first movie came out, when the iconic version of Deadpool was the comic one.

“It wasn’t the swearing, murdering [version] in the movies.”

It’s tricky to imagine a world where the comic book version of Deadpool is more recognisable and iconic than the one we know from the films ever again, given the movies have grossed a combined $2.9 billion worldwide. But that doesn’t mean we’ll definitely never see a LEGO Deadpool minifigure ever again.

“If Ryan Reynolds sees this on the internet, it would be great if he did a really kid-friendly Christmas version of Deadpool,” Mark said. “A really fluffy, friendly, non-violent Deadpool that becomes really popular, that would be great for us. Or if he’s in [Avengers] Secret Wars and that bit of the movie isn’t just 18-plus-lite.”

Avengers: Secret Wars is currently pencilled in for a 2027 release, and is set to conclude Phase 6 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and wrap up the current Multiverse Saga. With Deadpool firmly back in the mix following last summer’s Deadpool & Wolverine, there’s every chance that he could appear in the sixth Avengers movie – even if he’s not on the initial cast list for Avengers: Doomsday, which will arrive first in 2025.

Considering Disney probably wouldn’t want to see its Avengers movies bumped up to an R rating in the US (or a 15 rating in the UK), it’s not unreasonable to imagine that we’d see a toned-down version of Deadpool for any appearances in those films. And that might just open the door for the first non-Comic-Con LEGO Deadpool minifigure since 2012’s 6866 Wolverine’s Chopper Showdown. Time will tell…

Featured image: Trevor Carlee

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