Ryan Reynolds has answered the news that he’s a credited writer on Avengers: Doomsday, and he did it the way you’d expect: with a clip of Deadpool insisting he doesn’t read. IGN reports that Reynolds quoted a post revealing that he and Hugh Jackman wrote parts of the film, then added a scene from Deadpool & Wolverine in which Deadpool tells Matthew Macfadyen’s Mr. Paradox that he does not read.
The credits come from the Writers Guild of America’s directory. According to JoBlo, Reynolds and Jackman are among those receiving an “additional literary material” credit, which doesn’t appear on screen. Cosmic Book News reports that Stephen McFeely and Michael Waldron hold the screenplay credit, with eight more names under additional literary material: Eric Pearson, Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, Jeff Loveness, Andrew Lanham, Destin Daniel Cretton, Reynolds and Jackman. That makes ten writers in total, and it’s a long way from a script written by the two Deadpool leads.
Writing isn’t new territory for Reynolds. IGN notes that he holds credits on Deadpool 2 and Deadpool & Wolverine and has previously discussed working on a future Deadpool movie. Cosmic Book News adds that, according to Variety, this is Jackman’s first writing credit. The clip is therefore a joke at Reynolds’ own expense, but it also doesn’t deny anything.
The credit lands in an odd spot because Marvel hasn’t officially confirmed that Deadpool or Wolverine appear in the film. IGN says both actors have promoted Doomsday with tongue-in-cheek videos at San Diego Comic-Con and D23 this summer, and that fans strongly expect them to show up. IGN also says leaks point to a small but significant presence as multiverses collide. You can see how that campaign played out in our coverage of Jackman pitching himself and Reynolds for the film at D23 and of Deadpool suiting up at Comic-Con.
What the credit means for the finished film is still open. Reynolds has said the character’s future lies in team-up movies rather than solo outings, and Doomsday, with its sprawling ensemble, would be a natural fit for that. Avengers: Doomsday arrives on December 18, and that’s when we’ll find out how much of the dialogue is theirs.
What is an “additional literary material” credit?
JoBlo describes it as a WGA credit that doesn’t appear on screen. It recognises writing contributions that don’t earn a principal screenplay credit, which here goes to Stephen McFeely and Michael Waldron.
Are Deadpool and Wolverine confirmed for Avengers: Doomsday?
Not officially. IGN says neither character has been confirmed, though the promotional videos and leaks have convinced many fans that they’ll appear.
When does Avengers: Doomsday come out?
IGN gives a release date of December 18.
