Though several casting announcements have been made as Fox’s ‘Deadpool’ finally moves out of development hell, it has not always been clear who a given actor will be playing. However, T. J. Miller has cut through some of that confusion recently, with a number of tweets that all but confirm that his character (described as “smart, funny… slippery” and a “fast talker”) is Weasel. Coming over a the course of a few days, Miller’s tweets included the following:
.@BeetleBench @ccstandup It wouldn’t be that I am so motherfucking method that @RealErlich is a tub of arrogance but #Deadpool #WeaselThin
— t.j. miller (@nottjmiller) March 17, 2015
Yes yes y’all. Weasel in the house. #Vancouver pic.twitter.com/5EPPpYb4wH
— t.j. miller (@nottjmiller) March 19, 2015
Co-created by Fabian Nicieza and Joe Madureira for ‘Deadpool: The Circle Chase’ in 1993, Weasel is among the longest standing of Deadpool’s supporting cast. Also know by his real name of Jack Hammer, Weasel is perhaps Deadpool’s closest friend and has filled roles ranging from arms dealer to information broker. Even still, the history between the two characters has often been somewhat contentious, with Weasel repaying Deadpool’s habitual abuse in the form of the occasional sabotage or double cross. Despite the long history between the two characters (prior to ‘The Circle Chase,’ Deadpool had only made guest appearances in titles such as ‘New Mutants’ and ‘Heroes for Hire’), Weasel has made only one appearance outside of the comics medium, that being the 2006 video game ‘Marvel Ultimate Alliance.’
In addition to T. J. Miller, ‘Deadpool’ will feature Ryan Reynolds in the title role along with Gina Carano as Angel Dust, as well as Ed Skrein and Morena Baccarin in as yet unspecified roles (though Baccarin is rumored to be playing Copycat). Colossus is also slated to appear, though Daniel Cudmore (who has played the character in three previous films) will not be reprising the role.
‘Deadpool’ will be directed by Tim Miller and feature a screenplay by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. The film is set for a theatrical release on February 12, 2016.