When Ryan Reynolds first appeared as Wade Wilson in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, almost no one expected him to become such a central figure in the X-Men universe. While Reynolds was perfectly cast as the quick-witted mercenary, the movie itself wasn’t well-received, and fans strongly disliked some of the choices made, like forcibly silencing Deadpool. After the disappointing performance of Wolverine Origins, Fox shifted gears with the successful reboot X-Men: First Class, focusing on a new group of characters. Fans wanted to see Reynolds play a Deadpool more faithful to the comics, but Fox didn’t seem to prioritize that.
After a disappointing appearance in X-Men Origins seven years earlier, Deadpool didn’t return to the big screen until his own movie in 2016. It wasn’t because the studio suddenly believed in the character; the project only moved forward after leaked test footage went viral and generated a lot of excitement. Seeing that positive response, Fox decided to take a risk on the film. When Deadpool finally premiered on February 12, 2016, it quickly became clear that Fox should have approved the movie much sooner.
Deadpool Proved Fox Wrong By Making Box Office History
From a business standpoint, it’s easy to see why Fox was hesitant about making a Deadpool movie. Before the first film came out, Deadpool wasn’t as well-known as characters like Spider-Man or Wolverine, even though he had a dedicated fanbase among comic book readers. Also, to truly capture the essence of Deadpool, the movie needed to be rated R, which was a gamble. While a few R-rated comic book movies had been made before – like the Blade trilogy – most superhero films aimed for a PG-13 rating, as it was considered safer for attracting a wider audience. Fox was worried that an R rating would limit how many people could see the film.
When Deadpool was released, Fox’s worries about its success proved unnecessary. The film received great reviews for being a unique and exciting take on superhero movies, and it earned an impressive $132.4 million in its opening weekend – a new record for the X-Men franchise. It ultimately made $363 million in the US and $782.8 million worldwide, setting more records for the series. Before Deadpool, no X-Men movie had even reached $300 million domestically. Fox hesitated to make Deadpool because they weren’t sure people would be interested, but it quickly became clear there was a huge audience.
It’s no surprise that a sequel to Deadpool was quickly made, and it proved the first movie wasn’t a one-time success. The Deadpool series has become one of the most successful comic book movies ever. Deadpool 2 earned $786.3 million worldwide, building on the original’s popularity. The third movie, Deadpool & Wolverine, was even bigger, grossing $1.3 billion globally – making it only the second R-rated film to reach $1 billion. All three Deadpool movies are now among the five highest-grossing R-rated films of all time. It’s amazing to think this whole series might not have happened if Ryan Reynolds hadn’t released that early test footage.
Deadpool has become a huge success for Marvel, and plans for another movie starring the character are reportedly underway. It’s unclear if he’ll appear in future Avengers films like Doomsday or Secret Wars, but Marvel and Disney are likely eager to continue using him, particularly with the X-Men expected to play a major role in the next phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. A new Deadpool movie shouldn’t need a lot of hype or promotional material to get the green light.
Deadpool Changed the Superhero Movie Landscape
Although R-rated comic book movies existed before Deadpool, none had been so commercially successful. Deadpool was a turning point for the film industry, making studios more willing to take risks on R-rated superhero movies. While Hollywood sometimes misinterprets success, Deadpool opened doors for interesting new projects. It’s unlikely Logan would have been made without Deadpool’s success. Logan, often ranked as one of the greatest comic book films ever, earned $614.2 million globally and received widespread critical praise, even earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay.
The success of Deadpool wasn’t limited to Marvel; DC also benefited. The film Joker, a standalone story about the famous Batman villain, was a major hit, becoming the first R-rated movie to earn over $1 billion and winning Joaquin Phoenix an Academy Award for his performance. It’s unlikely Joker would have been made without Deadpool proving that R-rated superhero films could be successful. This also encouraged DC to explore more mature content with films like Birds of Prey and The Suicide Squad. While those movies weren’t as big at the box office, they were still praised for their creativity and demonstrated the potential of the R rating.
Ten years after the success of Deadpool, both Marvel and DC are still considering more mature, R-rated projects. This fall, DC will release Clayface, a horror-focused film quite different in style from Deadpool‘s humor. However, like Deadpool, it’s a relatively low-cost, fresh take on a comic book story, showing the kinds of stories possible within this genre. Marvel is continuing with another Deadpool movie and also working on a reboot of Blade – a project that’s faced many delays. Alternatively, they could move forward with Midnight Sons, a team-up movie that would also be well-suited for a mature audience.
The huge success of Deadpool may have surprised Fox, but looking back, it makes perfect sense. Superhero movies were everywhere in the mid-2010s, but audiences were ready for something different – a film that didn’t follow all the usual rules. Most big-budget superhero movies are rated PG-13, and while safe, that can sometimes make them feel too similar. Deadpool offered something new and exciting, satisfying a desire for a different kind of comic book movie. Fox’s leaders are likely glad they took a chance on it, even if they initially doubted its potential.
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2026-02-14 22:41