With Tim Miller parting ways with the upcoming "Deadpool" sequel, it is reasonable to be a bit weary with the film's future. Much of the reason for the success of the original was due to his distinctive imagery that mixed stylized action with quirky, almost cartoonish, inspiration. It truly felt like a live-action "Looney Tunes" cartoon brought to life, albeit one with a lot of gore and a sex montage. However, finding a replacement for that vision is not impossible, here are a few examples of directors who can take the reigns of the "merc with a mouth."
1. Marjane Satrapi
Perhaps the most qualified, and an unlikely candidate is the celebrated graphic novelist of "Persepolis." Coming from an illustration background, Satrapi has proven to be a visually striking filmmaker with a bizarre but sincere delivery. "bizarre but sincere" feels pretty indicative of Miller's original filmmaking Satrapi's touch fitting in-line with the established fingerprint. As an added bonus, she has directed Reynolds in the past with the criminally underrated "The Voices," with a role that maybe just as bloody as "Deadpool" (perhaps even more).
2. Jennifer Yuh Nelson
With two installments in the "Kung Fu Panda" franchise under her belt, Nelson already has the visually dynamic chops to meet and even surpass the stylization of the previous "Deadpool." With a knack for mixing fluid action with slapstick humor, Nelson should feel right at home directing Reynolds gleefully taking down enemies just as she did with Po the Panda. After all, if you throw a little red on Po and give him a dirty mouth he's not too far off from "Deadpool" himself.
3. Adam Wingard
Wingard has proven to be able to deliver gruesome bloody action with a satisfying dash of brittle black humor. With "You're Next" he portrayed an inventive and visceral take on the home invasion horror movie and with "The Guest" created a character with a sick and dangerous agenda. All of these feel already stitched into the "Deadpool" formula and although he may not have the same visual flare as Miller, but a grittier look to the frame would not hurt.
4. Michael Dougherty
A veteran of the "X-Men" universe, Dougherty certainly has the know-how of working within the studio system and still being able to deliver something spectacular. What really beefs up his visual portfolio is his cult-hit "Trick 'r Treat" and his horror holiday feature "Krampus." He has the comedy horror genre down to a T, delivering some truly freaky yet amusing creatures over the years which feel perfect for the visuals of "Deadpool." The only set back for his potential involvement is his potential directorial obligations to the "Godzilla" 2014 sequel.
5. Joe Cornish
If there's a big tentpole directorial slot that needs to be filled these days you can bet on Joe Cornish being in contention. Perhaps one of the most sought out talents for blockbusters since his debut feature, "Attack the Block" Cornish seems to always miss the cut when it comes time to ink the deal. But "Deadpool" feels way too up his wheelhouse for him to be passed on. He already has a foot in the door with comic book adaptations with a screenplay credit for "Ant-Man" meaning that he can pull off irreverencey while still carrying a lot of heart.
Any one of these contenders is more than capable in delivering the goods for a "Deadpool" follow-up and should not be overlooked for their vision, playfulness, and sincerity.
