Deadpool 2 has hit an early snag with director Tim Miller walking away from the 2018 sequel.
According to a Deadline report, Miller quit the Marvel comic franchise last week over creative differences with star and producer Ryan Reynolds.
Miller and Reynolds reportedly couldn't agree on the style of Deadpool 2, and had also disagreed on the casting of Friday Night Lights star Kyle Chandler in a lead role.
Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn expressed his disappointment on Twitter and said he was "honestly bummed" about Miller's departure.
Deadpool made a staggering $782 million ($AU1 billion) at the worldwide box office when it hit cinemas in February and become the biggest-grossing R-rated movie of all time.
It also resuscitated Ryan Reynold's career after a string of flops including 2011's Green Lantern and 2015's Self/less.
After a string of near-misses, Deadpool finally made Ryan Reynolds a star.
In Deadpool 2, Miller reportedly wanted a more stylised sequel in the same vein of blockbusters such as Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. But according to The Wrap, Reynolds wanted to stay true to Deadpool's quirky and crude comedy style, which earned the first film its R rating.
Miller also wanted to cast Kyle Chandler as mutant hero Cable for the sequel, a move Reynolds disagreed with. Fox reportedly sided with Reynolds instead of the film's director.
Ryan Reynolds reportedly doesn't want Kyle Chandler in the role of Cable.
While a Fox studio source told Deadline the departure was "amicable", it's understood Reynolds and Miller had a fractious relationship and weren't in contact after the release of Deadpool.
As the star of the franchise, Reynolds was always going to have the final say over Miller. The 40-year-old actor reportedly negotiated a huge pay deal to reprise the role, which included casting approval and creative input.
In the wake of Miller's departure, a Change.org petition calling for Quentin Tarantino to sign on to the project has begun circulating.
Deadpool is an X-Men spin-off that features Reynolds as a special forces agent who is subjected to an experimental treatment for cancer. It severely scars his body but gives him accelerated healing powers.
Tim Miller was a visual effects artist who made his directorial debut with Deadpool. Photo: YouTube
The film became an unlikely box office hit in February after being in development for more than a decade.
Honestly bummed about Tim Miller leaving Deadpool. He did an amazing job with the first one; I’d like to have seen where he’d go next.— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) October 22, 2016
