Summary
Long beforeDeadpool & Wolverinehit theaters, leading man Ryan Reynolds suggested the film would stand on its own. Some of the crew even suggested fans wouldn’t necessarily need to do homework by watching other films in order to understand the threequel. It was thought thatDeadpool & Wolverinewould be one of the few superhero films where general audiences could simply watch the movie and enjoy it without problems.
Of course, now that the movie is out, it’s clear this isn’t exactly true. While general audiences can enjoy the movie as it is, there’s a lot that will not be understood if they’re unfamiliar with the Marvel films that came before it. Including not onlyFox’sX-MenUniverse, but also New Line’sBlademovies and Marvel Studios' Marvel Cinematic Universe. Despite this lie, though,Deadpool & Wolverinemanaged to become the biggest R-rated movie of all time.
Why Viewers Would’ve Benefited From Doing Homework
WhileDeadpool & Wolverineis a sequel to the first twoDeadpoolfilms, it’s also a love letter to the Marvel movies that came long before it. Which is why Reynolds and director Shawn Levy’s comments about being able to watch it without doing ‘homework,’ is so surprising. Sure, audiences can enjoy the film on a surface level with little knowledge. However, it’s impossible to truly enjoy the film without being able tounderstand the jokesand cameos peppered throughout. Froma joke twenty-years in the makinginvolving Reynolds and Blade actor,Wesley Snipes, to the inclusion of Channing Tatum’s Gambit, who reveals he might’ve been born inside the Void because of his canceled Gambit movie. To the inclusion of Jennifer Garner’s Elektra, and Deadpool’s joke about Daredevil having been killed. To Deadpool’s repeated poking of Marvel’s struggles since theInfinity Sagaended. The idea that viewers wouldn’t have had to watch other superhero films to truly enjoyDeadpool & Wolverineis a definite lie. Working inDeadpool & Wolverine’s favor, though, is the fact thatthe Marvel Cinematic Universeis a highly loved franchise that has fans eagerly awaiting each and new installment. While Fox struggled with itsX-MenUniverse, andBladewas released well over two decades ago, the Marvel Cinematic Universe fandom tends to intersect with the fandom of these films.
With that said, while the average person probably doesn’t understand the jokes regarding Channing Tatum’s Gambit, or why his involvement was so exciting for fans, the actor’s performance and his portrayal of the character is enough to have them looking into it afterward. The same can be said for the inclusion of Blade, and eventhe ties toLoganand Deadpool’s love of the character.
How the Lie Didn’t Hurt the Film’s Box Office
Interestingly enough, while the movie was initially promoted as a standalone film that required little to no homework from audiences, the film continues to smash box office expectations. This, of course, suggests audiences don’t care about the apparent lie, and are still enjoying the movie despite it all. In fact, the film has already crossed $1 billion at the box office and overtook Joker to become thehighest grossing R-rated filmat the box office. As it stands,Deadpool & Wolverineis expected to finish well over $600 stateside, a feat that is impressive in its own right and one many superhero films would be lucky to achieve these days.So, how didDeadpool & Wolverinemanage to secure viewers despite its lie about being a standalone film that doesn’t require viewers to watch other movies? The marketing for the movie was top-notch, from Marvel Studios showing the film to fans during a Hall H panel, to the over-the-top drone show it put on after for San Diego Comic-Con attendees. As if that wasn’t enough, though, Reynolds and Hugh Jackman set out on an all-star promotional tour that left fans excited to see them finally team-up on the big screen.
More importantly, though,Marvel Studios' marketing teamdidn’t shy away from the fact thatDeadpool & Wolverinewould include references to other films, includingLogan. The studio opted to include Dafne Keen in the final trailer for the film, addressing the rumors that she would appear, as a means of controlling the narrative when she attended the world premiere of the film. While, likeDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,Deadpool & Wolverinewas rumored to include a plethora of cameos before it premiered, fans seemed more excited about the team-up between the titular characters than a bunch of cameos. Especially with Jackman’s Wolverine finally set to don the iconic blue and yellow suit for the first time ever on the big screen. So, yes, the film required homework from audiences, butDeadpool & Wolverinemanaged to excite audiences simply because it was a team-up that was a long, long time in the making.
