T.J. Miller is still in “Deadpool 2” despite sexual assault allegations
When Kevin Spacey was replaced by Christopher Plummer in All the Money in the World back in November, it may have sparked (or at least suggested) a new normal. Hollywood predators would be punished for their actions, even if their projects had already been completed.
Last week, as another example, BBC One announced they’d be following in All the Money director Ridley Scott’s footsteps by recasting a role accused assaulter Ed Westwick had already finished, rather than scrapping the project entirely as they’d initially planned to do.
But it appears 20th Century Fox won’t be joining the trend when it comes to T.J. Miller in Deadpool 2.
Though two women have come forward with allegations of misconduct against Silicon Valley actor T.J. Miller (one accusation involves sexual assault), Fox executive producer Lauren Shuler Donner says the studio has no plans to cut the actor — who plays Wade’s (Ryan Reynolds) bartender friend, Weasel — from the upcoming Deadpool sequel at this time.
Shuler Donner confirmed Miller would keep his role in Deadpool 2 for now in an interview with Rotten Tomatoes, in which she also voiced her support for the #MeToo movement and X-Men star Ellen Page — one of several women who’s accused director Brett Ratner of misbehavior. When asked about accusations against Miller and whether he’d be replaced because of them, Shuler Donner said it was probably too late in the process to make the change: “We’re in the final editing,” she said. “I don’t think so.”
The producer would know better than we would, but considering Scott was able to reshoot All the Money — in just nine days, and just six weeks before it was going to premiere with Plummer instead of Spacey — it doesn’t seem out of the realm of possibility that Fox could do the same, especially since Deadpool 2 isn’t set to hit theaters until June.
As for whether Miller — who has vehemently denied all allegations against him — has a future in the Marvel Universe, Shuler Donner said that would be up to the studio. With the recently-announced mega-merger between Disney and Fox, a lot is still up in the air, she said.
What’s not up for debate is the future of another of Miller’s projects, The Gorburger Show. The puppet-centric comedy show was canceled soon after allegations against Miller went public, though the decision to can the series was reportedly made months ago.
We’ll keep watching to see what happens as Deadpool 2‘s release date inches closer.
