Following the success of Deadpool & Wolverine, 2024’s Halloween was unsurprisingly crowded with people of all ages disguised as Logan and the Merc with a Mouth. To all the fans out there: Ryan Reynolds noticed you.
Reynolds’ connection to Deadpool runs deeper than most superhero castings. After a disappointing first appearance as a drastically altered version of the character in 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Reynolds spent years lobbying to bring a faithful adaptation of the Merc with a Mouth to the screen. His dedication paid off when the first Deadpool film was released in 2016, becoming the highest-grossing R-rated movie at the time with $782 million worldwide.
The franchise continued its upward trajectory with Deadpool 2 in 2018, which opened to $125 million domestically. The sequel introduced key characters like Cable (Josh Brolin) and Domino (Zazie Beetz), while deepening the emotional core of Reynolds’ Wade Wilson. The film ultimately earned $786 million globally, proving the staying power of the actor’s interpretation of the character.
Finally, Deadpool & Wolverine has shattered all previous records, becoming the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time with $1.264 billion globally. The film’s opening weekend alone generated $205 million domestically and $233 million internationally. This unprecedented success has broken multiple records, including the biggest R-rated opening weekend. By now, it would be understandable if Reynolds took his success for granted, as he has built a cinematic behemoth with the Deadpool trilogy. Yet, his Halloween reaction is surprisingly humble.
Despite his success, Ryan Reynolds is still moved by Halloween homages
Reynolds’ reaction to the Halloween costumes demonstrates his sincere appreciation for fans. In his social media post, he described seeing everything from “Little KidPools to GeezerPools,” with fans creating mini-movies, performing stunts, and quoting lines while wearing “some of the best suits” he’s ever seen. His ission that he’s “not aloof or cool about stuff like this” and no part of him takes it for granted shows how deeply he values the connection with fans.
That’s part of what explains the Deadpool & Wolverine’s success. At the time when people were eager for Marvel Studios to absorb the Mutants and the Fantastic Four, Reynolds instead fought for a movie that recognized the importance of what came before. Instead of simply jumping into the MCU, Reynolds’ Deadpool wants to share the stage and respectfully farewell the characters that helped build the superhero mania. It’s a beautiful way to honor even panned productions, turning them into somewhat canon for the MCU and inviting fans to discover previous iterations of beloved characters.
The success of Deadpool & Wolverine has broader implications for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, marking a new era for the superhero genre. As Marvel Studio’s first billion-dollar success since Avengers: Endgame in 2019, it has helped the studio collectively gross over $30 billion at the global box office – Sony distributes the Spider-Man movies, so they don’t bring much money home, despite their success. It did that by remaining true to Deadpool’s crass tone and R-rated violence, and by risking everything for a story about fandom and history.
It’s no wonder Reynolds is moved by Deadpool and Wolverine becoming Halloween favorites. This is a sign that all his work has paid off, and his Marvel Jesus persona still has much to contribute.
Published: Nov 2, 2024 10:17 am