EXCLUSIVE: Tim Miller, who has done strong visual effects work through his VFX house Blur Films, was just set by 20th Century Fox to make his feature directing debut on X-Men Origins: Deadpool, the X-Men spinoff film expected to star Ryan Reynolds. Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick are writing the script and Lauren Shuler Donner is producing.

In X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Reynolds made his first appearance as Deadpool, also known as Wade Wilson, a smart-mouthed mercenary with terminal cancer who undergoes military experiments in an attempt to replicate Wolverine’s mutant healing factor. He comes away with the ability to heal quickly, but for the price of being indestructible he is rendered severely scarred. His acerbic attitude remains, though, earning him the nickname “The Merc with a Mouth.” Reynolds will next be seen starring as another superhero, Green Lantern, for Warner Bros.

Fox has the Matthew Vaughn-directed X-Men Origins: First Class coming out June 3. The Wolverine was expected to be the next one in production, but the studio and Hugh Jackman are looking for a new director after Darren Aronofsky fell out. The film could begin shooting in the fall, but that could take longer to get under way.

As for Miller, he created and owns Blur Studio, where he has directed numerous cutting-edge video game trailers. Blur is currently doing all the pre-vis for Ron Howard on The Dark Tower. Miller and Blur were also very involved in the attempt to re-imagine the animated anthology Heavy Metal with segments to be directed by him, Jim Cameron, Zack Snyder, and David Fincher.