It was a little over a year ago that Deadpool was released and effectively changed the comic book movie game entirely. With all of the talk of superhero fatigue and things of that nature, the fact that a very non-traditional, ultraviolent, R-rated, vulgar movie that was more a love story than anything else wound up being one of the biggest hits of 2016 said a lot. Luckily the movie was great and it worked out very well for Fox, because that means we are getting a sequel next year in the form of Deadpool 2.

Ryan Reynolds had been trying to get Deadpool made for the better part of a decade, but Fox was hesitant to pull the trigger. At the time, perhaps understandably so. The only other onscreen appearance that Wade Wilson made was in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and that is considered by many to be the worst movie in the X-Men franchise. That said, a lot of that had to do with the fact that the character of Deadpool was treated so poorly and mishandled in that movie. Still, from the studio's perspective, making a movie centered on a character that audiences didn't take to in the movie he appeared in was a risk. Luckily, they eventually took that risk. Now we are getting Deadpool 2, and assuming that does well, which it almost certainly will, many other Deadpool movies featuring the Merc With a Mouth will surely follow.

Fox has every reason to believe that Deadpool 2 will do well. The successes of the first movie have been discussed heavily, but they really are worth talking about. Not only was the movie a surprise critical success, boasting an 84 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with an even more impressive 90 percent audience rating. But it is the box office take that really makes Deadpool such a landmark movie. On a budget of just $58 million, Deadpool grossed $783 million worldwide. For a movie Fox was very unsure about making in the first place, that is truly impressive.

However, with success comes pressure. Since the audience and critics really took to Deadpool, there is tremendous pressure for Deadpool 2 to at least match, if not surpass the quality of the first. That is a tall order and it seems like the creative team seems to understand that. They will be delivering the movie in a reasonably timely manner, but they definitely aren't rushing things. As impatient as we all are feeling, that is probably for the best.

With Deadpool 2 set to invade theaters next year, we are not all that far away from some more Wade Wilson action. Even though the plot details for the movie are being kept under wraps, we actually know quite a bit about the highly-anticipated sequel. So here's everything we know about Deadpool 2.

33 Ryan Reynolds will return as Wade Wilson.

Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson in Deadpool 2

As was proven in the first Deadpool, it would be impossible to make Deadpool 2 without Ryan Reynolds. The man championed the project for more than a decade and, when he finally got the opportunity, he knocked it out of the park. And even putting it that way may be a bit of an understatement. Since the movie was a truly massive success, Fox has locked him down for several future installments and this franchise is officially on his back. So, we will see Ryan Reynolds back in the red suit as the Merc With a Mouth in Deadpool 2, but there is much more to his role than just spending a lot of time on screen. This is more his movie than anyone else's, no matter who is directing it and no matter which bigwigs at Fox are involved in the decision making process. He has been working hard on the movie during every step of the process so far, from producing to casting and everything in between. He is not taking this lightly. There is a lot of pressure for Deadpool 2 to succeed and a very hefty amount of that pressure rests squarely on the shoulders of Ryan Reynolds. Maximum effort.

32 David Leitch is directing.

Deadpool 2 director

There are a lot of people who contributed to the success of Deadpool, but director Tim Miller was easily one of the biggest factors that can be attributed to that success. He was one of the core members of the team trying to get the movie off the ground for a very long time before Fox finally gave the go ahead. Sadly, he departed Deadpool 2 late last year over "creative differences," so someone had to step in and take over that very important position. That man is David Leitch. While he may not be a household name, the man has the resume for the job. He co-directed John Wick, which is easily one of the best action movies to come along in the last decade or so. He also has done a ton of second unit directing on movies like Captain America: Civil War, so he knows how to handle a large scale production. It may be a bummer for some that Tim Miller isn't coming back, but bringing in some fresh blood and a fresh perspective could help prevent Deadpool 2 from being a rehash of the first movie. Like it or not, David Leitch is the man in the director's chair, but this feels like a positive thing.

31 Josh Brolin is Cable

Josh Brolin as Cable in Deadpool 2

Before we really knew anything about Deadpool 2, we knew that the time-traveling mutant Cable was going to be in it. In the post-credit scene in the first Deadpool, it was revealed that the sequel will finally be bringing the fan-favorite character to the big screen. The casting process was long and extensive, but Fox and the creative team ultimately decided to cast Josh Brolin as Cable, aka Nathan Summers. Even though Josh Brolin is already playing Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War, the Oscar-nominated actor managed to land the highly coveted role of Cable. He beat out other big names such as Michael Shannon and Brad Pitt, as well as Stranger Things star David Harbour, who was also in the mix. He may not have been everyone's first choice, but Josh Brolin is a damn fine actor and he is the man tasked with bringing Cable to life on the big screen for the first time in Deadpool 2.

30 Zazie Beetz is Domino.

Zazie Beetz is Domino in Deadpool 2

While Fox decided to go with a huge name for the role of Cable, they went the opposite route for the role of Domino. Actress Zazie Beetz, who is best known for her role on FX's series Atlanta, landed the coveted role of Domino in Deadpool 2, beating out other big names such as Kerry Washington and Janelle Monae. If you aren't familiar with the character in the comics, Domino is an expert marksman and is very skilled in hand to hand combat, but her real power comes from her mutant power of being able to telekinetically manipulate probability. Zazie Beetz is going to be largely unknown to most of the audience who sees Deadpool 2, so we will pretty much get to see her as that character, since she is working from a bit of a blank slate, so to speak.

29 Jack Kesy is the main villain, is he Marvel's Black Tom?

Deadpool 2 Jack Kesy Black Tom

20th Century Fox has tapped Jack Kesy (The Strain, Baywatch) to be the next major villain for Deadpool 2. It is not entirely clear which villain he will portray. But many sources are pointing to Deadpool villain Tom Cassidy, aka Black Tom. Black Tom is usually depicted as a villain up against the X-Men and archenemy of his cousin Banshee, but Black Tom has squared off against Deadpool numerous times as well. Black Tom is a mutant who first showed up in Marvel Comics X-Men #101 in 1976 and he can manipulate, bond with, and force energy through plants. He also uses a wooden object, often a walking stick that he can shoot blasts from. In addition, he is also a longtime partner with the impossibly strong villain Juggernaut. In the Deadpool comics, Black Tom was hired by Black Box, who can psychically retrieve, interpret, and store data from any form of electronic media, to hunt Deadpool. The idea of Kesy playing Black Tom is all currently speculation right now and he could very well be playing Black Box, since Deadline originally reported that their sources indicate that he will be playing a character named "Black Bob." There is no such character as "Black Bob," but you never know, maybe a new composite character will be announced, but that's doubtful.

28 Shioli Kutsuna is playing a mysterious new lead character.

Shiloli Kutsuna Deadpool 2 cast

After having recently starred alongside Josh Hartnett in the indie flick Oh Lucy!, Shioli Kutsuna is taking on a major role in Deadpool 2. But what that role is, is anyone's guess. There have been some rumblings that Deadpool 2 will introduce a brand new mutant never before seen in the comics. Is this that Mutant? Perhaps not, as the New Mutant in question is reportedly named Mike, with actors such as Killian Scott and Charley Palmer Rothwell trying out for the role. Though news of Kutsuna's casting came after this news broke. Perhaps this new mutant character has been gender-swapped. Shioli's hero or villain status hasn't been revealed yet. But before coming to the states, Kutsuna has been working in Japan as an actress for nearly a decade.

27 Deadpool Goes Hunting for the Wilderpeople.

Julian Dennison cast Deadpool 2

The Hunt For the Wilderpeople director Taika Waititi shared a photo of his young star Julian Dennison getting a piggy-back ride from the Merc With the Mouth (Ryan Reynolds) in a recent set photo, confirming Dennison has been cast in Deadpool 2. No details have been given for the character he's playing. But he certainly is an exciting new addition to this franchise. And he'll more than likely bring a lot of fun to the proceedings.

26 The Deadpool writing duo is back.

Deadpool 2 writers

If Ryan Reynolds is the most important piece of the Deadpool puzzle, which he undoubtedly is, following very close behind are writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. Long before Fox officially gave the green light to Deadpool, Ryan Reynolds found Reese and Wernick, who, prior to that point, were best known for their work on Zombieland, and brought them on board to work on the script. Together, they crafted the movie we all came to love, even joking in the opening credits that they were the "real heroes" of the movie. So the good news is that they are both back to help write the script for Deadpool 2, and they have been hard at work on it for months now. They are very committed to getting it right and in various interviews over the last several months, without giving away too much, they have been saying a lot of the right things. They don't want to make the same mistakes that many sequels make and they know expectations are high. Having them back is a definite asset to Deadpool 2 and something that should serve to encourage those looking forward to the sequel.

25 Drew Goddard has joined the Creative Team.

Drew Goddard joins Deadpool 2 team

Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick are largely responsible for making the first Deadpool what it was, but new blood and new ideas can't possibly hurt anything. Especially when it is very talented new blood. So when it was announced that Fox had brought on Drew Goddard to help get the script where it needs to be for Deadpool 2, the sequel got some of that talented new blood. If you don't know Drew Goddard by name, odds are, you still know his work. He has been a writer/producer on Daredevil for Marvel and Netflix, as well as a producer on the other Marvel superhero shows that live on the streaming service. He was also one of the writers that helped save World War Z from being a disaster. He also more recently wrote The Martian, which went on to be a massive box office and critical success. The dude has talent and now he is putting that talent to use on Deadpool 2.

24 What's the story about this time?

Deadpool 2 story Dopinder and Weasel

No solid story details have been revealed, other than to say Deadpool 2 will definitely set up X-Force, with the inclusion of Cable and Domino. We do know that Wade Wilson will go unmasked during a late night fight in the rain. Wade Wilson will also be crashing a birthday party, perhaps to supplement his superhero income. This includes some much-needed fun in a bounce house. Weasel and cab driver Dopinder will find themselves set off on their own personal mission, but star T.J. Miller, who plays Weasel, isn't confident this scene will actually get to stay in the movie. But the comedian has said there will be a whole lot more Weasel this time around.

23 Fan-favorite characters will return.

Deadpool 2 returning characters

Deadpool 2 will be introducing some new characters, but that doesn't mean we can't look forward to some returning favorites this time around. Outside of Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson, we know that several fan-favorite characters from the first Deadpool will be back for the sequel. For one, both Colossus, as portrayed by Stefan Kapicic, and Negasonic Teenage Warhead, played by Briana Hildebrand, are set to return in Deadpool 2. So there will at least be a couple of X-Men characters in the movie. It has also been confirmed that Wade's buddy Dopinder the cab driver (Karan Soni} is coming back. Last, but most certainly not least, actress Leslie Uggams has confirmed that she will be returning as Deadpool's roommate Blind Al. Even though most of these characters had somewhat minimal screentime in Deadpool, they were key components to the movie's success, so having them back for Deadpool 2 is definitely a good thing.

22 Possible cameos?

Deadpool 2 cameos

If you are hoping for some major X-Men cameos in Deadpool 2, don't get your hopes up. Writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick have said that, even though they have the ability to include A-list cameos from other characters in the movie, they aren't going to do it just to do it. That said, if they do find a good, organic reason to include one or two of them in Deadpool 2, there is no reason it can't happen. Ryan Reynolds has been very vocal about his desire to have Hugh Jackman do a Wolverine and Deadpool movie and, while that isn't likely to happen, we can't rule out a cameo of sorts. Maybe not as Wolverine, but given the meta, fourth wall breaking nature of Deadpool, Hugh Jackman could show up as Hugh Jackman or something like that. The takeaway should be that, if there are going to be major cameos in Deadpool 2, they are going to serve the movie and they won't just be there for the sake of it.

21 Deadpool 2 sets up X-Force and future X-Men movies.

Deadpool 2 X-Force

Even though Deadpool is part of the X-Men universe, the character is really carving a path for an entirely different corner of that universe. Deadpool 2 will just be the first step in expanding upon that universe and will help open the door for new movies in the future. However, it has been made clear that the creative team intends to make Deadpool 2 the best movie they can possibly make it and that they won't divert focus just to set up future movies. But this movie will, in a way, naturally carve a path for future movies that will exist in this corner of the X-Men universe, such as Deadpool 3 and X-Force. So get ready for a lot more Deadpool in the future.

20 There will be X-Men Easter Eggs.

There is no mention of an Alpha Flight movie being in the works at Fox, but Deadpool 2 will give the Canadian superhero outfit a shoutout in the form of an Airliner advertisement on top of Dopinder's cab, aptly called Alpha Flight airlines, which offers cheap flights, last minutes deals, and travel insurance. We also know from the first day of shooting that Deadpool will be making another stop off at Xavier's school for the gifted. Though, when Wade Wilson comes knocking, no one is home. At this time, it isn't believed that any other major X-Men characters will have a cameo in the movie, aside from Colossus, who appeared in the first installment.

19 When is the first trailer coming?

Deadpool 2 trailer

Technically, we got a teaser trailer for Deadpool 2 attached to Logan when it debuted spring 2017. The sneak peek launched before Deadpool 2 even began shooting, though, and was created specifically as a pre-opening credit scene for the latest Wolverine movie. It showed Wade Wilson attempting to stop a mugging, but first, he has to change into his costume. He ultimately isn't fast enough, and the mugging victim gets shot and killed. This leaves Deadpool to sort through the dead man's groceries, chowing down on some ice cream. There are two versions of the teaser, one of which includes a Stan Lee cameo. The first real teaser is expected to drop during Comic-Con 2017. 20th Century Fox is planning a big panel for the event on Thursday, July 20, which will also include sneak peeks at X-Men: Dark Phoenix and New Mutants. Deadpool 2 only recently started shooting, so we're not expected to see much in the way of footage. But it should be exciting non-the-less.

18 When will we get to see Deadpool 2?

Dedpool 2 Release Date

Fox had a tremendous amount of success releasing the first Deadpool in February. A lot of that had to do with the genius marketing campaign and another chunk of it had to do with the fact that there was a lot less competition. Also, the movie was incredibly well-liked by critics and fans alike, which is an important element. For Deadpool 2, Fox is instead opting for a prime, summer release date on June 1, 2018. That means that there will probably be a lot more competition in close proximity to Deadpool 2, which could make the release date a bit risky. On the other hand, given the success of the first movie, Fox probably has a lot of confidence and other studios may do well to stay out of Wade Wilson's way. Other X-Men movies coming in 2018 include New Mutants and X-Men 7: Dark Phoenix.

17 Deadpool 2 Will be R-Rated

One of the big takeaways from the first Deadpool is that it succeeded at the box office in spite of (or one could argue because of) its R-rating. Fear not, as Deadpool 2 will not be doing away with this ever-important aspect of the franchise. The sequel will be R-rated and will allow Wade Wilson to curse his heart out, and will allow for maximum, uncensored violence. Deadpool grossed a then-record $782 million at the global box office. From the studio's perspective, this should fall squarely in the if it ain't broke, don't fix it category. Deadpool, by nature, is an NSFW character and trying to make that fit into a PG-13 setting simply doesn't work. That was one of the key issues in X-Men Origins: Wolverine and Ryan Reynolds, as well as the filmmakers, won't be making those same mistakes again.

16 Vanessa is Coming Back

One of the keys to the first Deadpool was Vanessa, played by Morena Baccarin. The character helped to give Wade Wilson an emotional ground and made it more than a violent, curse-filed romp. Baccarin is set to reprise her role as Vanessa in Deadpool 2. But how will things change now that Wade and Vanessa are now living happily ever after? How will Vanessa deal with Wade's anti-hero business? How will she factor into the overall plot? There are plenty of questions but the key here is that one very crucial character from the first movie is returning.

15 Weasel Will Return

T.J. Miller has been subject to some controversy as of late, but he's still going to reprise his role as Weasel once again in Deadpool 2. The comedian and actor had an important part to play in the first movie as one of Wade Wilson's best friends and primary contacts in the seedy underworld he worked in before being transformed into the anti-hero we know and love. How, precisely, Weasel will factor in remains to be seen, but the trailers have made it appear as though Wade may call on him to help assemble the X-Force. The odds of seeing Weasel pop up in the inevitable Deadpool 3 or X-Force spin-off seem far less likely now, giving Miller's troubles, but he's going to be present here. That much is certain.

14 Terry Crews is Bedlam

As we've seen in the trailers, Wade Wilson assembles a handful of mutants who make up the X-Force. Aside from Domino, we know Terry Crews will be part of that equation. Crews will be playing a character named Bedlam. He first appeared in Factor X #1 in 1995 in the pages of Marvel Comics. Bedlam has EMP abilities and can interact with energy fields. Bedlam can also mess with the human brain's neural chemistry. It's certainly possible that director David Leitch could decide to alter the character's powers a bit, but Crews seems like a good fit for the character.