RUMOR: Ryan Reynolds Still Attached to DEADPOOL; Will Go into Production with THE WOLVERINE in 2012

A new source is claiming that the two spin-off films from 20th Century Fox based on Marvel Comics characters are quickly moving into production this year.

Visual Effects artist Tim Miller, who worked in the VFX department of other X-Men movies, is signed on to helm the Deadpool spinoff film as his first outing in the director's chair. Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick wrote the script, while Lauren Shuler Donner is attached as a producer. Ryan Reynolds, who played a modified version of the character in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, has expressed repeated interest in reprising the role but due to an already inflated film schedule it appears he has stepped back from the project. That isn't so, according to a report from The Coventry Telegraph 'Geek Files' blog, which says that Reynolds is "still attached to star in the project" and it will "likely to go into production in 2012".

Deadpool character creator and comic industry veteran Rob Liefeld recently shared these details about test footage that has apparently been shot:

"I may or may have not seen some sort of test of footage that would blow your mind if you saw it and go holy crap and that’s Deadpool in costume. Katana swords, guns, shooting people’s faces off and making me laugh. And I may or may not have seen something that looks just like that. And you’ve got what would amount to the first R Rated X-Men movie. Because that script is R Rated. They may or may not have wanted to shoot eight minutes to see how it would play. And all I can tell you, it’s close. It’s closer that it’s even been to going, or going Naaah, that’s too scary a proposition to make a R Rated Deadpool movie."

Another bit of news coming from the site's unnamed source is a report that The Wolverine, a follow up to the financially successful but critically panned X-Men Origins: Wolverine will "definitely go into production this year".

Late last year, director Darren Aronofsky stated that production on 20th Century Fox's The Wolverine would keep him out of the country for too long a period and opted to exit the project only weeks away from the start of filming. Fox ended up postponing both principal photography and the film's theatrical release. Hugh Jackman, who was set to reprise his role as the title character for the fifth time, offered fans hope that the project would not be stuck in development hell, "Fox is very anxious to make the movie and we're moving ahead full steam to find another director."

James Mangold (3:10 to Yuma) was recently named as Aronofsky's replacement to direct, and rewrites to Christopher McQuarrie's script took place under the tutelage of Mark Bomback. The film will take place mostly in Japan and is based upon the character's comic book adventures written and illustrated by Chris Claremont and Frank Miller.

There is no word from 20th Century Fox either way on these production rumors.