Deadpool 4 Needs Crossover With Fan-Favorite Horror Superhero
Now that Ryan Reynolds has made his official Marvel Cinematic Universe debut with the smash-hit Deadpool & Wolverine, fans are already anticipating what’s next for the fan-favorite merc with the mouth. Some fans have even taken to the web to suggest that Deadpool’s next cinematic effort should continue the trend of the anti-hero teaming up with other rough-around-the-edges comic book characters, including a number of beloved heroes that haven’t entered the MCU canon yet. Personally, I’d love to see a Deadpool 4 in which the fourth-wall-shattering savior of the universe faces off against Spawn.
Deadpool & Spawn
Though no official announcement has been made at this time regarding Deadpool 4, it seems inevitable that the movie will enter pre-production any day now, as Deadpool & Wolverine has passed the rare billion dollar threshold, making it Marvel’s biggest hit in years.
For a Deadpool 4 scenario to play out with Spawn in a front-and-center role, a number of factors will need to come to pass regarding the character’s licensing, casting, and storyline.
Though the chain-slinging former Marine has collaborated in a number of Marvel works in the past, Spawn is not technically a Marvel character, meaning a deal would need to be made between Disney and Spawn creator Todd MacFarlane before a proper screenplay could even be drafted.
Spawn’s Creator
At this time, MacFarlane holds the full rights to all things Spawn, publishing written editions of the character’s misadventures exclusively through his company Image Comics, which he cofounded in 1992.
While the comic book veteran may very well be interested in a Deadpool 4 with Spawn’s inclusion, it may also clash with his existing vision for a new silver screen adaptation.
MacFarlane has been trying behind the scenes to launch several new Spawn projects for both television and film in recent years, though he seems to be hitting a number of major roadblocks.
King Spawn
As far back as 2015 Todd MacFarlane explained that he had a new Spawn film in the works, which later cast Jamie Foxx in the titular role. The writer has continued to update fans on the status of this film through 2024, where he explained that the screenplay had been completed, and that the film would be on track for a 2025 release date under the title King Spawn.
For MacFarlane to license the character to Marvel for a Deadpool 4 outing, the project would have to either crossover with the long-awaited King Spawn film or utilize the multiverse to prevent the streams from crossing in a confusing mess of conflicting canon.
Deadpool And Spawn Have A Lot In Common
Legal mumbo jumbo aside, Deadpool 4 would be the perfect place to introduce Spawn to the MCU, as the two characters could bounce off each other, since they have so much in common and so much that divides them. While both Deadpool and Spawn are former marines, turned mercenaries, and scorned by their burned and scarred visages, the anti-heroes have dealt with their suffering in vastly different ways.
Wade Wilson became a quippy, upbeat goofball with the ability to address the home audience directly to mitigate his trauma, while Spawn became a no-nonsense, tough-as-nails, bottomless pit of misery.
Spawn Would Make A Better Partner Than Most
I personally feel that a Deadpool 4 which brings Spawn out of his shell in a similar manner to Deadpool & Wolverine would be the most effective use of both characters, regardless of who plays Spawn and what becomes of the Image Comics’ character’s solo catalogue.
If you’ve seen Deadpool & Wolverine, you already know that Reynolds’ spandex-clad jokester is already destined to cross paths with another MCU mainstay, though I would argue that crossing Deadpool over with Spawn would make a lot more sense than seeing him take on the Guardians of the Galaxy or what’s left of the Avengers.
