Some things go together perfectly, like peanut butter and jelly. Baseball and Cracker Jacks®. Captain America and his shield. However, there are some things that should never be brought together, like Deadpool 2 and Quentin Tarantino.
Now, you’ve probably heard that Tim Miller left the highly anticipated sequel following creative differences with Wade Wilson himself, Ryan Reynolds. The breakup was amicable, but it leaves the director’s chair painfully vacant. Well, it appears a group of fans have already made up their minds regarding who should assume the responsibilities in the director’s chair: Quentin Tarantino.
A petition demanding Tarantino direct Deadpool 2 is closing in on ten-thousand signatures. That’s impressive and well-deserved. Tarantino has been one of the most unique directors of the past 25 years, considering his films are pop culture candy filled with hordes of Hollywood stars and a plethora of violence. Honestly, he seems like the perfect choice. However, he’s far from it.
Now, I love Quentin Tarantino. His story as a writer working in a video store turned award-winning Director is an amazing accomplishment. I also loved Deadpool. The fact that Ryan Reynolds stuck with the character after the atrocious X-Men Origins movie, struggling through a massive pay cut, budget slashes and studio red tape to turn an R-Rated movie into blockbuster gold, is astonishing. However, bringing Tarantino on board for a sequel (although enticing) is far from what this movie needs. I’ll explain.
1. Tarantino Has His Own Vision
One of the best elements of Tarantino’s movies is his signature style. They are all original stories that come from the twisted mind of Quentin, expressed through a blending of certain filmmaking styles. Should it be the Samurai-inspired Kill Bill or the Spaghetti Western Inglorious Bastards, Tarantino takes his filmmaking to new heights by mixing in a variety of styles to create his unique vision.
So what happens when a visionary director like Tarantino is forced to fit into the superhero genre and work under an overbearing studio like 20th Century Fox? While Quentin could certainly bring some fun elements to a Deadpool sequel, Fox will more than likely tighten the reins on the sequel to squeeze as much money out of the property as possible (see: Josh Trank and Fan4stic for example). Tarantino is a director who needs freedom, and chances are slim that he’d receive any leeway, forcing him to walk away from the production (see: Edgar Wright and Ant-Man for example).
Plus, the movie is already being written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. Tarantino scribes his own material, so adapting someone else’s material could cause issues during production. Should Quentin come in and rip their ideas to shreds, it could lead to turmoil behind the scenes and hinder the quality of the movie. Perhaps we should just let Tarantino direct the movies he’s involved in 100%, instead of adapting other people’s materials.
2. Deadpool Really Belongs to Ryan Reynolds
While a Quentin Tarantino-directed superhero movie (especially one involving a character as interesting as Deadpool) would be a treat, we need to remember something: Deadpool belongs to Ryan Reynolds. It was Reynolds who stuck with the character following Origins, leaked the test footage that got the ball rolling on a feature film, skipped out on his usual pay day, and even paid out of his own pocket to have the film’s writers remain on-set at all times. He sacrificed everything to get this movie done the right way, and it paid off ten-fold.
Reynolds needs to have full creative control over Deadpool 2. It’s hard to imagine Tarantino coming in and letting one of his actors call the shots regarding the story’s development. Tim Miller allegedly split because of a difference in opinion regarding the casting of Cable. In the end, the studio backed Reynolds, and they would do the same in any argument Reynolds and Tarantino might have. Would Tarantino come into a situation where he didn’t get the final say in one of his movies? Nope. That’s a straight up nope.
3. Let Someone New Take Over
So, we know what we’re getting with a Quentin Tarantino movie. There will be great conversations between characters, beautiful, bloody action sequences, and probably Christoph Waltz. But that’s one of the biggest problems: we already know what we’re getting with him.
One of the best parts of Deadpool was how new the movie felt. It was a breath of fresh air — despite being another superhero origin story — and part of that was because of Tim Miller. A first-time director, he brought a new perspective thanks to his background in video games, and as a visual effects artist. Sometimes, the best thing you can do with a potential blockbuster is put the project in the hands of someone on the up and up.
I mean, look what happened with Colin Trevorrow with Jurassic World; James Gunn with Guardians of the Galaxy; Taika Waititi and Thor: Ragnarok. Studios are handing over the keys to former indie film darlings and the results have been extraordinary. I mean, who thought Scott Derrickson, with his obvious horror background, would create something as visually stunning as Doctor Strange? Sure, it doesn’t always work out (see: Josh Trank and Fan4stic), but there are so many upcoming directors who could do something special with a Deadpool sequel if given the chance. We know what Tarantino has to offer; let someone bring something new to the table instead. Remember, variety is the spice of life.
Now, a petition doesn’t mean anything. Even if ten-thousand fans say Tarantino should direct Deadpool 2, the mind behind Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs would probably pass on it before any formal offer was made. And that’s probably for the best. Deadpool set the bar extremely high for its sequel thanks to Reynolds, Miller and the writing team. Now, someone else needs to take the film in a new direction. I don’t know who that person is, not yet, but it’s not Quentin Tarantino. Honestly, we’re going to think on this and come up with a list of potential directors. Yup.
