Ryan Reynolds, director Michael Bay, and 'Deadpool' writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick to unite for Netflix's 'Six Underground'

Ryan Reynolds was something of a punching bag for many years, but I don't think his movie star status is in question these days. While everyone knows Reynolds as Wade Wilson from the Deadpool movies, all you need to do is look at his upcoming slate to realize that he's slowly branching out from the role that made him a megastar. Sure, he's certainly going to make X-Force and Deadpool 3/4, but he'll also lead Detective Pikachu, potentially return for the sequel to breakout surprise The Hitman's Bodyguard, and he could star in a remake of Clue. The latter project finds him working with Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick once again, the same pair responsible for the scripts for both Deadpool and Deadpool 2 (Reynolds has a co-writer credit on the sequel). It seems that Reynolds and the duo work quite well together, because news broke earlier today that all three will be uniting for another new project, one that will team them with one of Hollywood's most famous directors.

Transformers director Michael Bay will be at the helm for Six Underground, a big-budget Netflix action movie based on a script from Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. Ryan Reynolds is set to star. The announcement was made on Netflix's Twitter account earlier today, but Deadline added some additional details. The trade site reported that the budget for Six Underground is roughly around $150 million, which would make it one of the biggest Netflix originals yet. Bay will shoot this summer, as the streaming giant plans to release the film in Summer 2019. The Hollywood Reporter delivered the first plot details for the film, which supposedly focuses on six billionaires who fake their own deaths in order to form a squad of talented mercenaries. Two months ago, Variety's Justin Kroll originally reported that Bay was attached to the project, news that came after some believed the director was heading to DC for their Lobo movie. 

It has been something of a rough year for Netflix original movies, so I'm honestly excited for anything to get them back on track. With new films from esteemed directors like Martin Scorsese, Alfonso Cuaron, and Jeremy Saulnier, it seems only right that they add populist filmmakers like Bay to the mix as well. As a fan of the first two Deadpool movies, I think it's safe to say that I like the sensibility that Reynolds, Reese, and Wernick bring to their projects. They know how to craft hilarious jokes, but their character work in the Deadpool series has surpassed my expectations at every turn. If they can bring that same level of texture and depth to Six Underground, I have no doubt that Bay will blow the action scenes out of the water, which would result in one hell of a summer blockbuster.

Deadpool 2 is in theaters now. Look for more information on Six Underground as the story develops. 

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Poster: IMDB/Fox