If I were the writers of Deadpool, I would find a way to bring back Wolverine, but maybe not have Hugh Jackman as being Wolverine. Bring in a new one. But at the same time, I would use it as a chance to bring a different superhero team to life.
Alpha Flight.
I cherish the first 28 issues of that comic. John Byrne may not have been the greatest writer (some of the dialogue was deplorable, along with the captions) but the art and the ideas are spectacular (I also love his run on Fantastic Four – some of the best stories come from his arcs and really should be used for rebooting THAT franchise, too).
Seeing as how no one at Sony has approached me about writing the screenplay for the the creation of Alpha Flight and the reintroduction of Wolverine into the Deadpool universe, I thought I would take a break from writing my novel to write the first four pages of a screenplay.
Sony, feel free to email me at writer.rinne@gmail.com if you want to see more. I’m happy to finish it off.
Truth be told, I’ll finish it for free. I like the idea.
Fade In
Prologue
A man in a blue suit and red tie gets out of the back seat of the late model Ford sedan. There are two men in the front seat, also wearing suits. They are parked at the curb of an affluent downtown Ottaw neighbourhood. The man in the blue suit walks up the steps of a townhouse and looks left and right before knocking on the door.
A red haired woman in big glasses answers. She is not happy to see him.
Reilly
Hello, Heather. Is Mac home?
Heather (woman)
Steps outside and closes the door a little behind her.
What’s it to you?
Man
I need to speak to him.
Heather
You fired him, Reilly. He doesn’t want to speak to you.
Man
The Prime Minister shut down Department H. Mac is still a government employee. The cheques keep getting deposited, right?
Heather
Oh, yes. This is just our winter house. We’re just getting ready to take the helicopter to the Muskokas.
Man
Heather. Please.
Mac
His voice coming from inside the house.
Honey? Everything okay.
He comes to the door and opens it.
Oh. Hello, Reilly.
Heather
He was just leaving.
Mac
Heather, it’s not his fault that Trudeau shut me down. Reilly, come in for a coffee. Sit down.
Mac and Heather share a look and Mac steps backwards and into the house. Heather holds the door and watches Mac take Reilly to their small galley kitchen.
There are snapshots on the wall of pages from comic books interspersed with real life images of superheroes. Neither Mac nor Reilly give them a second glance. Heather lingers on one before following them into the kitchen.
Mac takes out mis matched mugs from the cupboard and prepares things for their coffee. There is already a pot brewed.
So, how are things at Department H?
Reilly
Quiet. Not much going on. Most of it is just archiving info.
Heather
Oh, that will keep a half dozen people busy for the better part of five years. What’s the going rate for that these days? Thirty? Forty bucks an hour? Accepting applications? Would a masters in engineering do?
Mac
Heather. Please. That’s not fair.
Heather
What’s not fair is what he’s done to you. And here you are, serving him coffee.
Mac
It’s not like I’m using the good mugs.
He sets down a mug in front of Reilly and sits opposite him. He sips the coffee and smiles at Reilly.
But the coffee is good, right?
Reilly
What if I told you that I had a job for you? But not filing papers.
Mac looks to Heather.
What if it’s a job only you can do?
From the inside part of his jacket, Reilly produces a gold card and slides it across the table to Mac.
Heather
What is that?
Reilly
A chance.
Mac
Slides the card towards him. He looks at it without picking it up.
Heather
Even if he wanted to do any work for you, he’d need access to Department H equipment. And you won’t let that happen. And I won’t let him do anything without being prepared.
Reilly
Looks to Mac.
I think your husband has that covered.
He takes a sip of his coffee and puts down the mug.
You’re right. It is good. I know the way out.
Stands up to leave.
Heather
Watches Reilly leave.
He didn’t say yes.
Reilly
Looks over his shoulder
He didn’t say no, either
Heather
Looks to Mac. He’s picked up the card and is turning it over in his hand. He doesn’t even notice she is there.
You seriously aren’t thinking about it, are you?
Mac
Smiles and takes her hand when he gets up. He kisses it and slides past her to the basement door.
Are you coming?
Heather
She stares at him for a few beats, crosses her arms, and walks away.
Mac
Goes down the stairs and into the basement. He accesses a hidden room under the basement stairs that is filled with modern, high tech equipment. The kind you would expect of Iron Man or The Avengers. Mac inserts the gold card into the slot and a hologram comes to life. It shows a skeleton that rotates that seems to have spikes growing out of it. The blue light from the hologram illuminates his smiling face.
A sarcophagus like structure opens up to his right, to reveal a suit patterned after the Canadian Flag.
Before the screen goes back to the name at the bottom of the skeleton, the scenes snaps to black.
