By now, you probably know that Deadpool is a huge box-office hit. Projected to net between $60 and $65 million during its opening weekend, the film more than doubled that estimate ($132.8 million) on its way to a slew of records including biggest R-rated opening weekend in history and biggest 20th Century Fox debut in history.
In light of its surprising and astronomical success, it’s safe to say you’ll be seeing the Merc With A Mouth on the big screen again soon — and the man behind the mask should reap the rewards as well.
According to Deadline, Ryan Reynolds is in talks to star in Life, a Mars mission-based epic about an expedition that finds intelligent life during its journey to The Red Planet. Daniel Espinosa — who directed the Reynolds-starring Safe House — is set to helm the project, and the script comes courtesy of Deadpool scribes Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. Rebecca Ferguson (Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation) is also attached, and is expected to play the female lead.
Given the familiar faces already on set, this project seems to make a lot of sense for Reynolds, especially in light of Matt Damon’s recent foray to the Red Planet, which earned that veteran thespian a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture — Comedy or Musical. That said, the title of this project alone suggests that it will differ quite a bit from Ridley Scott’s The Martian, which portrayed the planet as a barren, lifeless desert.
While this news is certainly intriguing, it’s important to remember that Reynolds hasn’t signed on the dotted line just yet. We’ll keep you updated as information becomes available but, in the meantime, you can catch the actor in Deadpool (in theaters now) and in the upcoming Criminal, set for release on April 15, 2016.
