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Deadpool 2 Originally Had Vanessa Leave Wade Wilson, Not Die
Vanessa originally wasn't killed off in Deadpool 2, but rather a victim of a broken heart. The violent action and raunchy jokes were a big part of Deadpool's DNA. However, another major key to the film's success was the surprisingly great romance between Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) and Vanessa (Morena Baccarin). Their relationship was at the heart of the first film, making their future together something fans were eager to see more of. But when Deadpool 2 came around, the film killed Vanessa almost right away.
The move was shocking and caused a divide between viewers. It made Deadpool 2 the latest culprit to fridging, the concept of killing or injuring a female character to provide an emotional arc for the male hero. Her death only amplified Wade's rage as they finally decided to try and have a kid together. While the movie's story ultimately decided to kill her, earlier ideas kept her alive.
Deadpool 2 is currently available on digital and with that comes the release of the audio commentary. One of the earlier bits of information director David Leitch revealed was in regards to alternate ideas for Vanessa, where he confirmed that they didn't originally plan on killing her, "We had versions where they broke up and she left him - instead of dying." He says they decided against those options due to this being the only working option that gave Deadpool the emotional arc they were looking for.
Leitch previously defended the choice to kill Vanessa by using the same reasoning, so this isn't a surprising statement on his part. Wade and Vanessa splitting up could've solved some of the issues around the use of her, but it is impossible to say whether or not it would resonate as well. They already spent time apart in the first film, so splitting them again may have felt too much like a retread. However, removing her from the equation altogether may not have been the best option either.
Now that Vanessa is back alive, she will hopefully receive some better treatment if she makes any future appearances. She has powers and an alter ego of her own in the comics, so maybe she can get a chance to grow into such a role in the franchise. That is, as long as the Deadpool trilogy carries on once the Fox-Disney merger is complete. Disney's currently saying Deadpool 2 won't be the last, and for the sake of Vanessa, we can only hope so.
Release Dates:
. X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019) release date: Feb 14, 2019
. Gambit (2019) release date: Jun 07, 2019
. New Mutants (2019) release date: Aug 02, 2019
