Marvel’s newest release, “Deadpool & Wolverine,” has inspired me to keep watching superhero films.
Before the R-rated, action-packed comedy came out on July 26, Marvel had fallen into a pattern of frequently producing subpar movies. Each followed the same generic formula: The main character loses to the villain and gains a new power they coincidentally had in themselves the entire time before coming back stronger to best their foe. “Deadpool & Wolverine” makes fun of this recipe by incorporating self-deprecating fourth wall breaks with jokes about how awful Marvel has become as of late.
In their early stages, Marvel created masterpieces, including “Iron Man” and “Captain America: The First Avenger.” However, Marvel’s latest films have not lived up to the first ones’ legacies. After the company’s series of disappointing releases, “Deadpool & Wolverine” heroically saved Marvel’s bank account.
In 2019, Disney bought 20th Century Fox, the company that originally owned the Deadpool franchise. The acquisition opened the door for new collaborations, including “Deadpool & Wolverine.” When it was announced on Ryan Reynolds’ YouTube channel that Hugh Jackman signed onto the project as Wolverine, fans were reignited with excitement, envisioning Jackman’s return as a new chapter in the evolution of Marvel movies.
Originally, people believed “Deadpool & Wolverine” was a risky move for Disney, but its massive payoff has become apparent. The movie broke several records and is now the highest-grossing R-rated movie [ever], even surpassing Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Joker.” Having earned a whopping $1.14 billion domestically, it is among the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s top-10 grossing movies ever produced.
“Deadpool & Wolverine” follows Wade Wilson, the antihero Deadpool, as he travels through time from the events of “Deadpool 2” to create his perfect reality. Pursued by an organization that believes in a single universe, Deadpool realizes he must find Wolverine to save his loved ones. The title characters’ journey through various universes leads them to confront a villain who casts them into an unknown realm. Together, Deadpool and Wolverine defeat many foes, learning valuable lessons about family, self-sacrifice and teamwork.
The movie also contained many cameos, including Chris Evans as Johnny Storm, Dafne Keen as X-23, Wesley Snipes as Blade and Channing Tatum’s debut as Gambit. In addition, Snipes’ return as Blade reignited his friendship with Reynolds after the two had conflicts on the set of “Blade: Trinity.” Ultimately, the movie served as a bridge between Fox’s independent filmmaking era and its acquisition by Disney.
To build on the momentum from the movie’s initial release, the marketing team of “Deadpool & Wolverine” made clever moves to boost popularity by stirring up memes. For one, the film introduced the Wolverine popcorn bucket, which featured a gaping mouth, requiring moviegoers to put their hands into Wolverine’s gaping mouth to retrieve their snacks. The movie features sponsorships ranging from companies like Adidas and Heinz to Stray Kids’ music video for “Chk Chk Boom.” Additionally, the movie’s opening scene included a dance to NSYNC’s “Bye Bye Bye” that swept across TikTok.
With that being said, “Deadpool & Wolverine” is an apparent win for superhero movies. It is fresh, funny and knows how to mix things up.
This movie certainly did not disappoint with its spectacular fight choreography, amazing camera shots, realistic CGI and unrestricted R-rated humor. Jackman outdid himself with the emotional scenes, and Reynolds had some of the best comedic entrances in movie history. Not only that, fans are encouraged by online memes to grab a Wolverine popcorn bucket and enjoy the film’s gory and hilarious comedy.
As Marvel looks ahead, “Deadpool & Wolverine” has set the bar high, showing that with the right mix of humor, heart and action, modern superhero movies can still aspire to the level of the ones we reminisce on so fondly.
