Ryan Reynolds to star in X-Men spinoff 'Deadpool'

Twentieth Century Fox and Marvel Comics are moving ahead with their long-gestating X-Men spinoff Deadpool.

On Thursday, the studio announced that the movie will hit theaters Feb. 12, 2016. Tim Miller is set to direct the film, with Ryan Reynolds long rumored to star, although no deal is set. (Bets are that he will.)

The beloved Marvel character Deadpool, aka Wade Wilson, is a talkative mercenary with a host of powers, including the ability to heal rapidly. Reynolds played Wilson in 2009's X-Men Origins: Wolverine, while Scott Adkins played the character of Deadpool after Wilson had transformed.

News of Deadpool's release comes weeks after test footage of the project leaked briefly online. The sequence, featuring Reynolds, was shot several years ago, but nevertheless sparked intense conversation on social media.