Deadpool 4 Rumored to Fast-Track Production Ahead of X-Men Reboot: Marvel's 2028 Release Slate Reshuffle
Marvel Studios is rumored to be considering fast-tracking a fourth Deadpool film into production ahead of the X-Men reboot. Insider reports suggest that Deadpool 4 could be the next project after Avengers: Secret Wars wraps filming, potentially reshuffling the 2028 release slate. This move would push the X-Men film further down Marvel's production schedule.
With three release dates set for 2028, fans had speculated that the X-Men reboot would claim the May slot. However, industry reports now indicate that Deadpool 4 might enter production first, potentially shaping a 2028 slate that includes Deadpool 4, X-Men, and Black Panther 3.
Ryan Reynolds, who portrays Deadpool, has expressed interest in keeping the character active across multiple Marvel projects. Reynolds is reportedly developing an X-Force-inspired project for the post-Secret Wars MCU. The success of Deadpool & Wolverine at the global box office has fueled Reynolds' vision for the character's future within the franchise.
Reynolds envisions Deadpool as an outsider who works well appearing with the X-Men and Avengers but always needs to maintain his outsider status. He believes that Deadpool's coping mechanism of using humor to deflect shame only works when paving over his inadequacies. Reynolds sees Deadpool's ultimate dream as being accepted and appreciated, but he acknowledges that the character can never truly be accepted.
The X-Men reboot is still in early development stages, with writers Lee Sung Jin and Joanna Calo working on a draft of the script. Marvel's upcoming films include Avengers: Doomsday, set to release on December 18, 2026, and Avengers: Secret Wars, scheduled for December 17, 2027. The potential fast-tracking of Deadpool 4 could bring a new dynamic to Marvel's production schedule and release slate.