LOS ANGELES, CA – Rob Liefeld, the co-creator of Deadpool, has announced his decision to sever ties with Marvel following a series of disagreements with the entertainment conglomerate. Liefeld expressed his frustration after he and his family were excluded from Disney’s afterparty for the premiere of “Deadpool & Wolverine” last July.
One of Liefeld’s main grievances with Marvel revolves around the placement of creator credits in the film and what he perceives as a lack of respect from Kevin Feige, the head of the film and television studio. Despite attending the movie premiere in Manhattan and posing on the red carpet with the creative team, Liefeld claims that the photos were deleted before being posted online, leaving him feeling embarrassed and diminished.
Feeling slighted by Disney’s actions, Liefeld emphasized that he had never experienced such treatment from 20th Century Fox during the first two “Deadpool” movies before the studio’s acquisition by Disney. He expressed his disappointment in the handling of the situation and criticized the decision to exclude him and his family from the afterparty.
Despite Marvel’s ownership of Deadpool, Liefeld still retains authorship and creative rights to the character. While he acknowledges that he no longer has creative control over the character moving forward, he will continue to receive financial compensation from any future projects involving Deadpool, as he did not take a buyout for his work.
In an Instagram post from a year ago, Liefeld announced his retirement from working on Deadpool after over three decades of involvement with the character. He shared his intentions to move on from Marvel and refocus his efforts on other projects within his Extreme catalog.
“Deadpool & Wolverine,” starring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, was a major success at the box office, becoming the highest-grossing R-rated film globally. The movie included a nod to Liefeld in a key scene, showcasing the author’s perceived inability to draw feet in a humorous manner, which Liefeld approved of.
As Liefeld parts ways with Marvel, it marks the end of an era for the co-creator of Deadpool and signals a new chapter in his career within the comic book industry. The decision to leave behind his work on Deadpool reflects his desire to explore new creative endeavors and focus on personal projects moving forward.