Rob Liefeld, the visionary creator of Deadpool, has severed his ties with Marvel following a disappointment-laden experience at the prestigious premiere of the latest film adaptation. This artist and writer, who brought the iconoclastic anti-hero to life with his ingenious mind, has maintained a fruitful collaboration with the comic book publishers for over three decades. Yet, he felt distinctly marginalized at the New York premiere of "Deadpool & Wolverine," the first Deadpool film to debut since Disney's acquisition of Fox. Now, he has opened up about his perceived slights and injustices.
According to Liefeld, he was overlooked by Disney's high-ranking officials, including Marvel Studios' head Kevin Feige, during the July 2024 event. To his distress, he discovered that neither he nor his family had been extended an invitation to the afterparty following the premiere. On his podcast, "Robservations," Liefeld lamented, "This was meant to embarrass me, diminish me, and ultimately defeat me. At some point, you realize, 'The message has been received, and it is loud and clear.'"
Liefeld, who generates significant revenue from the character he created in 1991, revealed that he had requested greater involvement in the marketing and promotion of the film a month before its release. He also sought a unique credit distinct from the standard one afforded to comic book creators at the film's conclusion, citing Marvel's decision to grant Roy Thomas co-creator status for Wolverine alongside Len Wein and John Romita, Sr. as the impetus for his request. In an email, he penned, "Marvel's treatment of creators has never been their strong suit. Without the worlds, characters, and concepts that we bring to life – and in this particular instance, the world of Deadpool – there would be no films to shoot, no blockbusters to distribute. ... I am not the easy button at Staples; I am the human imagination fueling it all."
However, Liefeld claimed that his response did not garner the reception he had hoped for, tweeting, "My reps were screamed at today, 'We are NOT Fox!' Tell me something I don't know. They even hung up on me."
Previously, when the fate of a third Deadpool film was uncertain, the comic book creator, who became one of Marvel's most profitable publishers in the 1990s, expressed his belief that Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds "should be at the helm, steering the ship, and handed the reins completely" to the franchise.
