5 Filmmakers Who Should Direct ‘Deadpool 2’

Jason Lei Howden
Like Tim Miller, Jason Lei Howden is a visual effects artist who got bit by the directing bug. Between working on blockbusters like “The Hobbit” trilogy, “The Great Gatsby,” “The Avengers,” “The Wolverine,” “Prometheus,” “Ghost Rider; Spirit of Vengeance” and this year’s “Gods of Egypt,” amongst others, the New Zealand-based writer/director made “Deathgasm,” a completely bonkers low-budget coming-of-age horror-comedy which shares Deadpool’s affection for sex, foul language, lewd humor and cartoonish deaths, in the same vein as Peter Jackson’s “Dead Alive” and Sam Raimi’s “Evil Dead.” It was a splashy, ludicrous, infectiously entertaining thrill-ride, one that showed the new filmmaker’s exceptional promise. If you haven’t seen it, be sure to track it down. It’s an absolute blast, and it proves Howden’s merely waiting for the right job.

It’s possible “Deadpool 2” could very well provide this blooming filmmaker with the same boost Jackson got from “The Lord of the Rings” and Raimi received from “Spider-Man.” Of course, those filmmakers already had movies under their belt first, and Howden isn’t going to get that type of luxury with “Deadpool 2.” His inexperience could possibly be a factor, but these days, tentpole movies had entire teams dedicated to the nuts and bolts of special effects, and the learning curve is no longer that steep. Plus Howden’s worked with Fox before, if as the low man on the totem pole, so there’s a good chance they have his number lying around somewhere. It might be worth pulling it out and giving it a call.

Ruben Fleischer
As far as directorial debuts go, Ruben Fleischer hit it out of the park with 2009’s “Zombieland.” A horror-comedy with great characters, hard laughs and pulpy undead violence for miles, it was the kind of genre-bending hit that brought together audiences of all different breeds and shapes. Unfortunately, it might’ve been too successful for Fleischer’s own good. His follow-ups, “30 Minutes or Less” and “Gangster Squad,” both failed to live up to his promise. But Hollywood loves a good comeback story, and maybe this is the one Fleischer needs right about now.

“Zombieland” and “Deadpool” are sewn at the hip by screenwriters Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, who arguably played a big role in the success of both bloody blockbusters. Their voice and passion were just as fundamental for “Deadpool” as Reynolds and Miller, and thankfully they’re still set to write the sequel. With that in mind, perhaps it’s time for Fleischer, Reese and Wernick to reunite once again, nearly ten years later, for this upcoming sequel. After all, they’re supposedly going to eventually come together for “Zombieland 2,” so why not start here first?

Joe Carnahan
Few filmmakers love their cuss words like Joe Carnahan. The man with the million-dollar swear jar behind “Narc,” “The Grey,” 2010’s undervalued “The A-Team,” “Stretch” and “Smokin’ Aces,” which also starred Reynolds, knows how to direct gleeful violence, R-rated debauchery and, of course, naughty words like few others in Hollywood today. In fact, it’s surprising that more executives haven’t sought him out in their attempts to bring adult-oriented comic book properties onto the screen. Well, maybe we can fix that in a timely manner with “Deadpool 2.”

While Carnahan is currently attached to “Bad Boys For Life,” which is also due in 2018, maybe he can knock out “Deadpool 2” first? The lewd-and-crude filmmaker should feel perfectly at home with this material, much like Reynolds. And based on their history together, they’ll hopefully form another happy marriage. The filmmaker’s general “tell-it-how-it-is” mentality could also work wonders in the improv department, and his expertise with bright, unapologetic violence can only please fans more.

Honorable Mention: There are plenty of other people who could theoretically fit the bill for “Deadpool 2” as well. For instance, Nicholas Stoller (“Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” “Neighbors 1” & “2”, “Storks”) and Adam Wingard (“You’re Next,” “The Guest,” “Blair Witch,” Netflix’s upcoming “Death Note”) could just as easily find themselves on this list. Ditto Matthew Vaughn, although he’d likely rather not make other people’s superhero properties at this point. Plus, he’s already got his hands full with the “Kingsman” franchise.

There’s also Ana Lily Amirpour (“A Girl Walk Home Alone at Night,” “The Bad Batch,”), another female Iranian filmmaker, Michael Dougherty (“Trick R Treat,” “Krampus,”), who just got signed up for “Godzilla 2,” Shane Black (“Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang,” “Iron Man 3,” “The Nice Guys,”) and there’s Neveldine/Taylor (“Crank 1” & “2”, “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance”), but they seem to be doing their own things now. There’s also Ryan Reynolds himself, although making his directorial debut here would be daunting — to say the least.

There’s also Lexi Alexander (“Punisher: War Zone”), screenwriter Jane Goldman (“Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children,” “X-Men: First Class,”), The Daniels (“Swiss Army Man”) and Chad Stahelski & David Leitch (“John Wick”), but they all seem like a stretch. In any case, the studio might hire a newcomer like Miller once was for all we know. Time will be the truest test.

Do you have any suggestions? Let us know in the comments section.