Tim Miller says he didn’t return to direct Deadpool 2 because Ryan Reynolds took control of the film. News of Miller’s exit from the sequel first broke in October 2016. At the time, there were conflicting reports about the reason for his departure. But generally, it was noted that Reynolds and Miller clashed over their different visions for the followup to the hit comedic comic book adaptation. One sticking point centered around the casting of Cable. Miller had reportedly wanted Kyle Chandler for the role, while Reynolds had a different view. The star of Deadpool won out in the end, leading Miller to step away from the project. Elaborating on the subject, Reynolds defended his decision to exert creative control when needed but also acknowledged Miller’s contributions to the franchise.
Miller has spoken about his experiences with Deadpool 2 in the past. Striking a magnanimous tone, the director nonetheless gave credence to claims that he clashed with his lead actor over issues which went deeper than casting choices. It had been reported that there were fundamental disagreements about what the film should be, with Miller supposedly aiming for a more visually immersive sequel which would widen the scope of Wade Wilson’s universe. Reynolds, for his part, wanted to double down on the aspects that made the first installment such a striking success. In a new interview, Miller sheds some more light on what occurred behind the scenes.
Speaking to KRCW’s The Business podcast, Miller said that it was clear that Reynolds wanted to be in control of the franchise. Conceding that while certain directors would be fine with that dynamic, and able to work within in it, Miller felt he would not have been able to do it successfully. Read a portion of Miller’s comments below.
“You can work that way as a director, quite successfully, but I can’t. I don’t mind having a debate, but if I can’t win, I don’t want to play. And I don’t think you can negotiate every creative decision, there’s too many to make. So Ryan’s the face of the franchise, and he was the most important component of that, by far. So if he decides he wants to control it, then he’s going to control it.”
What’s interesting about Miller’s comments is how candidly he talks about his own stubbornness. While it would have been easy to use more diplomatic terms, the same kind he’s used in past comments, he allows that his unwillingness to lose an argument played a role in how the situation unfolded. Since parting ways with Deadpool, Miller has gone on to helm Terminator: Dark Fate. Recently, he opened up about disagreements he had with producer James Cameron about pivotal story points.
It’s never good when a director leaves a high-profile project under a cloud of controversy. But it is good, in a sense, to have a director that cares so much about his craft that he’s willing to fight for it. If a compromise could have been reached, who knows what Deadpool 2 would have looked like? Still, the film was well-received and a third installment is expected. Perhaps it could end up being a little more experimental, and explorative, than the first two.
Source: KCRW’s The Business