Disney and Marvel are embroiled in a fierce legal battle with Justin Baldoni over the ongoing “Deadpool” movie franchise, amid a growing $400 million defamation lawsuit involving Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, and Baldoni.
The legal drama unfolded in the midst of Marvel’s efforts to expand its Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), including the release of upcoming films like “Thunderbolts” and “Fantastic Four.” While these developments play out, Disney, under CEO Bob Iger, has made it clear that it doesn’t want to share confidential information related to Deadpool’s ongoing storyline and character development.
The Battle Over ‘Nicepool’
At the heart of the issue is the character “Nicepool,” a creation in the Deadpool & Wolverine universe, which Baldoni’s legal team claims was a defamatory and mocking portrayal of him. According to the Wayfarer Studios execs, Baldoni, Reynolds, and Lively’s involvement in the making of the character has created a sexual harassment case, following Lively’s lawsuit filed in 2024.
Baldoni’s legal team is pushing for discovery of sensitive documents related to the creation of Nicepool—a character they believe was designed to mock Baldoni’s appearance and personality. The subpoena requests documents detailing Reynolds’ involvement in the development of this character and any communications between Reynolds, Lively, and Marvel about Baldoni.
Disney and Marvel’s Resistance
In response, Disney and Marvel’s attorneys have pushed back against these subpoenas. Disney’s legal counsel, led by Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp, argues that revealing documents related to the development of a character in the Deadpool franchise could harm the integrity of the MCU’s interconnected storylines. They argue that any disclosure about the franchise’s direction would expose sensitive details about future films, sequels, and crossovers. The Disney response includes a request to stay the discovery process until the ongoing legal battles are resolved, emphasizing the importance of keeping certain details confidential to preserve the success of their cinematic universe.
The Feud Intensifies
As tensions rise, Baldoni’s legal team has accused Reynolds of playing a significant role in the smear campaign against Lively, further complicating the already tumultuous defamation and extortion lawsuit. The stakes are high for both Lively and Baldoni, with the actors and their respective teams clashing over issues of personal and professional conduct that have spilled into the public eye.
With the trial set for March 2026, the legal drama will continue to unfold in parallel with the future of the Deadpool franchise. Fans of the series and the MCU will likely be keeping a close eye on how this conflict impacts the future of Deadpool, as both Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively remain at the center of the controversy.
For now, Disney and Marvel are taking every step to protect the Deadpool brand, refusing to allow Justin Baldoni to gain access to any internal documents that could jeopardize the character’s evolution or spoil any upcoming projects in the highly anticipated Marvel Cinematic Universe.
