Ryan Reynolds continues to search for the person responsible for leaking the Deadpool test footage five years ago. The Merc with a Mouth is currently one of the most recognizable comic book characters thanks to the success of the R-rated movie franchise. But, it wasn't too long ago that the chances of him being properly realized on the big screen appeared to be far-fetched. That is, until one now-infamous leak.
During San Diego Comic-Con 2014, a leaked video of test footage for an R-rated Deadpool movie starring Ryan Reynolds surfaced online. The reaction to the footage was incredibly positive and gave 20th Century Fox the push it needed to greenlight the film from Reynolds, director Tim Miller, and writers Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese. The first film's $783.1 million box office haul and critical praise proved that Fox made the right decision, eventually. However, one question that has remained is who leaked this footage.
The saga has so far had no one own up to the act, but Reynolds has said in the past that he's 70 percent sure it wasn't him. In celebration of the fifth anniversary of the leaked footage, Reynolds took to Instagram to hilariously announce the next phase of his ongoing investigation to find the person responsible. He's utilizing his skills from playing Detective Pikachu and has compiled a list of possible leakers.
Reynolds' suspect list of the Deadpool leaker stands at 13 people just one year after he decided to take on the investigation himself. Miller, Wernick, and Reese are all lumped to one side of the cork board and are realistically some of the more likely options. Deadpool comic creator Rob Leifeld is a suspect, as is Blind Al actress Leslie Uggams. There's also Reynolds' former Green Lantern co-stars: eventual Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi and his eventual real-life wife Blake Lively. Betty White is apparently a suspect after being referenced by Deadpool, while Daniel Ellsberg is another after previously leaking the Pentagon Papers in 1971. Reynolds doesn't leave himself off the board either, as Wade Wilson is a suspect along with Reynolds' writing pseudonym Champ Nightengale. Hugh Jackman is even a possibility in Reynolds' mind.
The mystery over who leaked the test footage is likely one that will never be solved, but many are grateful that the mysterious leaker did it. If it weren't for the footage surfacing online and gaining the incredible reaction that it did, the first movie never would've been made in that capacity. The Deadpool franchise has grossed over $1.5 billion worldwide after just two installments, so Fox was able to profit tremendously on this leak. The question now remains whether or not Reynolds will get to play the character again under Disney. His reference to "Phase 5" could potentially be a reference to Phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and that being where he'll return. That's at least three years from now based on Marvel's Phase 4 slate, but this is hopefully when more Deadpool movies will be made and the benefits of this leak will continue.
Source: Ryan Reynolds