Marvel Studios may have just reshuffled its post-Secret Wars production plans, and the next project heading to set might not be the one fans expected. A new industry report suggests the studio is eyeing a surprising candidate to enter production first, potentially shaking up the entire 2028 release slate.
Marvel rumored to film Deadpool 4 after Avengers: Secret Wars
Marvel Studios may fast-track a fourth Deadpool film into production ahead of the X-Men reboot. Insider Jeff Sneider at The Hot Mic reports the studio could greenlight Deadpool 4 as the next project after Avengers: Secret Wars wraps filming. The move would push the X-Men film further down Marvel’s production schedule.
Marvel currently holds three release dates for 2028 on May 5th, July 28th and December 15th. Many fans speculated the X-Men reboot would claim the May slot. Sneider now believes Deadpool 4 will enter production first, potentially shaping a 2028 slate of Deadpool 4, X-Men and Black Panther 3.
Ryan Reynolds has previously expressed interest in keeping Deadpool active across multiple Marvel projects. Reynolds reportedly continues developing an X-Force-inspired project for the post-Secret Wars MCU. Deadpool & Wolverine earned $1.4 billion at the global box office last summer.
Reynolds has shared his vision for the character’s future within the franchise. “I think Deadpool works so well appearing with the X-Men and Avengers, but he always needs to stay an outsider,” Reynolds said (via The Hollywood Reporter). “His ultimate dream is to be accepted and appreciated. But he can’t be accepted.”
Reynolds also addressed the character’s long-term arc in the MCU. “His coping mechanism of deflecting shame through humor works only when used to pave over his many inadequacies,” Reynolds noted. “If and when he does become an Avenger or X-Man, we’re at the end of his journey.”
The X-Men reboot remains in early development as writers Lee Sung Jin and Joanna Calo currently work on a draft of the script. Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on December 18, 2026, and Avengers: Secret Wars follows on December 17, 2027.
