Set your calendars, folks! Deadpool 2 has officially landed a release date in the thick of prime summer blockbuster season. 20th Century Fox has dated the superhero sequel for June 1, 2018. Ryan Reynolds is back as the snarky, homicidal antihero alongside newcomers Josh Brolin as cable and Atlanta breakout Zazie Beets as Domino. For the sequel, John Wick co-director David Leitch is stepping into the director's chair after the departure of Tim Miller.

The June release date positions Deadpool one week after Disney and Lucasfilm's much buzzed about Han Solo movie and a week before Warner Bros. Ocean's 8 and Paramount's Transformers Spin-Off. Basically, it's landing right in the midst of the summer blockbuster swell, an interesting departure from the brilliant release date strategy employed on the first film.

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Image via 20th Century Fox

2016 saw the release of Deadpool in the middle of February, an unconventional spot for a studio tentpole, where it was marketed as the perfect Valentine's date film in addition to being a much-hyped, long-desired comic book adaptation. The gamble paid off big time, the film became one of the biggest box office success stories of the year, and played a key role in redefining the year-round theatrical calendar. Now that Deadpool is a bonafide success, Fox is going after that big summer money and it will be interesting to see how it fares against the competition and if any of its competitors will make way and switch to a new release date.

Fox also set a date for another highly anticipated superhero project, Josh Boone's New Mutants adaptation, which will now land on April 13, 2018. It's been a busy day at the studio. They also set release dates for the next four Avatar sequels, pushed back The Predator, and

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Image via 20th Century Fox
deadpool-ryan-reynolds-image
Image via 20th Century Fox