David Leitch

It’s official! After a month of rumors and speculation, ‘Deadpool 2’ has found its new director. Taking the helm of the sequel is ‘John Wick’ co-director David Leitch. This comes in the wake of Tim Miller’s departure from the project, reportedly due to creative differences with star Ryan Reynolds. Though there has been no official comment on the nature of those differences, the prevailing rumor is that the most significant dispute related to the casting of Cable.

As we first reported back in October, David Leitch’s name was first mentioned in connection with ‘Deadpool 2’ within a week of original director Tim Miller’s departure. The studio’s shortlist also reportedly included Rupert Sanders, Drew Goddard, and Magnus Martens, though Leitch was at the time said to be the first choice.

Leitch is best known for his work on 2014’s ‘John Wick’, which he directed alongside Chris Stahelski (though both contributed to the film’s directing duties, only Stahelski was credited due to the specific nature of the Directors Guild’s requirements for co-director credits). Prior to that, he worked mainly as a stunt coordinator, with a list of credits that ranges from ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ to ‘The Bourne Legacy’. He has a particularly notable history with comic book adaptations, having contributed stunt work to a list of films that includes ‘Blade’, ‘Daredevil’, ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’, and ‘300’

In addition to ‘Deadpool 2’, Fox has confirmed that they are in the planning stages for a third ‘Deadpool’ film, which is intended to feature the big screen debut of X-Force.

Do you think Leitch is a good fit for ‘Deadpool 2’? Are you excited to see X-Force take shape over the course of the ‘Deadpool’ sequels? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to check back with ScienceFiction.com for more news as it becomes available!