Thunderbolts is the second Marvel film delayed by the writers strike

The writers strike strikes again! Previously, we learned that Marvel Studios was putting filming for its upcoming Blade movie on hold, whether because it didn’t have a finished script or because it didn’t want to start filming with writers and their supporters picketing outside the sets. Now, Deadline reports that Marvel will also delay shooting on Thunderbolts, a new movie that will unite characters like Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) and U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell) into a kind of anti-hero superhero team.

In both cases, Marvel’s plan is to start filming once the strike ends, although it’s been going on for a few weeks now with no end in sight, despite it shutting down or disrupting several high-profile movies and shows. Among other things, the striking writers want more competitive pay, increased job security, and limitations on the use of AI.

Ryan Reynolds may not be allowed to improvise on the set of Deadpool 3

Marvel isn’t shutting down all of its movies. For instance, filming began on Deadpool 3 the other week, but the writers strike could still affect the movie. Per The A.V. Club, Ryan Reynolds is credited as a writer on the movie, and while the rules of the strike wouldn’t prevent him from acting in it, they could prevent him from improvising new dialogue.

And that could be an issue, since Reynolds has famously improvised lots of Deadpool’s dialogue since he first played the role back in X-Men Origins: Wolverine in 2009. Theoretically, there’s some wiggle room — he could argue that improvising is part of his producing duties, for instance — but that could be very tricky given his “written by” credit.

Deadpool 3 is “WAY more of a Wolverine movie”

As for the story of Deadpool 3, we know that it will involve Hugh Jackman’s return as Wolverine. According to Marvel artist Rob Liefeld, who helped create Deadpool for Marvel Comics back in the 1980s, the movie is “WAY more of a Wolverine movie.”

In any case, expect Deadpool 3 out in theaters out in November of 2024, with or without Ryan Reynolds’ improvising dialogue.

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