The morally ambiguous character Deadpool may get just a bit more “ambiguous.” According to actor Ryan Reynolds, future films may explore Deadpool’s bi-sexuality on top of his gleeful hedonism.
Speaking at a Comic-Con panel on Saturday, the “Deadpool” star said he hoped the franchise could be used as a vehicle to give more LGBTQ characters a platform, which could very well begin with the title character, whose alter-ego Wade Wilson is a self-described “pansexual.”
“I certainly think that this universe … needs to represent and reflect the world in very real ways,” said Reynolds when a fan asked if future films will feature LGBTQ characters. “The great thing about Deadpool is that we’re allowed to do things that other superhero movies don’t necessarily do. It’s something that I’d love to see more of, certainly through Wade, certainly through this universe because it’s something that we’re building out more.”
The “Deadpool” franchise already features one LGBT character: Negasonic Teenage Warhead, who was shown to be in a relationship with another woman in the previous installment. According to Variety, the actress who played the character Brianna Hildebrand demanded that the producers portray the relationship “the way it is and not be a big deal.” The first “Deadpool” experimented with some unorthodox sex during the infamous “International Women’s Day” scene in which the roles were reversed in a certain sex act that the readers of Teen Vogue will be familiar with.
Other Marvel films such as “Thor: Ragnarok” and “Black Panther” flirted with an LGBT nod in one or two characters, but left the material on the cutting room floor. In response to some of the backlash, Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige recently said that future films will feature LGBTQ characters.
Several LGBT activists and entertainment journalists believe Feige is likely just trying to appease critics with no desire to deliver on his promise. “Never EVER believe anything that #KevinFeige says,” entertainment journalist Grace Randolph said in response. “He says yes to everything he’s ever asked because he doesn’t want any negative coverage.”