AceShowbiz -

20th Century Fox and Ryan Reynolds are apparently close to finding a new helmer for "Deadpool 2". Mashable brings the words that David Leitch, who co-directed Keanu Reeves in 2014's "John Wick", is the top contender to replace Tim Miller as the second "Deadpool" movie's helmer.

Several sources familiar with the project claim that Ryan's agency, WME, "has been pushing the star (and the studio) to hire one of its own clients." It turns out that David is at the top of the list. An alleged insider adds that "several others directors remain in the mix." Both representatives for the studio and David have not given any comment regarding the report.

It was previously reported that Tim's departure from "Deadpool 2" was due to his "creative differences" with Ryan, who also serves as a co-producer. Ryan wanted to make a "scrappy" and inexpensive sequel similar to "Deadpool", while Tim was interested in making more of a "stylized" sequel just like other big-budget superhero movies, which would have cost three times as much as the first movie.

Plot details are still kept under wraps. The scribes of the first movie, Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, are once again providing the screenplay for "Deadpool 2". It's unclear if the filming is still slated to begin early next year. The movie is set for a January 12, 2018 release in U.S. theaters.

David is well known as stunt actor and stunt coordinator. He had roles in several movies like "Tron: Legacy" and "The Matrix Revolutions", before making his directorial debut in "John Wick".