Deadpool & Wolverine‘s record-smashing box office streak hit another milestone this weekend when Marvel Studios and Disney’s R-rated film surpassed Barbie to rank No. 12 on the list of all-time top-grossing films at the domestic box office, not adjusted for inflation.
Over the weekend, Deadpool & Wolverine took in another $679,000 after Disney upped the film’s theater count from 990 locations to 1,500 theaters nationwide in a final push before the pic’s theatrical run ends. The Ryan Reynolds–Hugh Jackman crowd-pleaser finished Sunday with a domestic total of $636.3 million, compared to the $636.2 million haul of Greta Gerwig and Warner Bros.’ acclaimed meta-comedy.
Barbie, however, still out-ranks the Deadpool threequel globally with a worldwide haul of $1,446 billion. The PG-rated, family-friendly pic is No. 15 on the all-time list of top-grossing films at the global box office.
Deadpool & Wolverine is likewise a worldwide sensation, and is the top-grossing R-rated film of all time. Last weekend, Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi was knocked out of the top 20 when Deadpool & Wolverine took its place. As of this weekend, its global gross stands at $1.336 billion.
It’s just one of the many box office records the meeting of Marvel’s most misanthropic superheroes broke since its summer release, including the biggest opening weekend for an R-rated movie ($211 million). As for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Deadpool & Wolverine is the seventh-highest-grossing film out of 31 releases at the worldwide box office, and fifth-biggest domestically.
Deadpool & Wolverine is also the second-biggest film of 2024 to date behind Pixar and Disney’s Inside Out 2, which has earned $652.9 million domestically and $1.694 billion globally.
It’s the long weekend, and there’s no better way to beat the heat than to sit in a movie theater and watch something that’s been out for weeks. After six weeks in theaters, Deadpool & Wolverinehas returned to the top of the box office and is estimated to earn about $19 million this weekend over four days. It’ll surpass the $600 million milestone for its domestic earnings in a few days’ time. The Ryan Reynolds-led film didn’t have much competition this weekend. Dennis Quaid’s Reaganand Blumhouse’s Afraid were both debuting this weekend. Still, they didn’t even make the top three— Reagan is estimated to earn about $9 million at no. 4, Afraid about $4 million at no. 9. Alien: Romulus (no. 2), It Ends With Us (no. 3),and Blink Twice (no.5) round out the rest of the top five. However, the holiday break will be over next week as Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is going to probably bring in a ton of ticket sales. Everyone loves an early Halloween.
It’s been a month since Deadpool & Wolverine said “Bye Bye Bye” to Fox’s Marvel universe. And thinking of all the superhero franchises that it gave us closure for still makes me kind of mushy! Who would’ve imagined Blade, Elektra, or even Gambit to show up, right?
Well, the appearance of Channing Tatum as Remy LeBeau, a.k.a. Gambit, with that ridiculous accent that was so hard to decipher that even Deadpool had to break the fourth wall to take a dig at it, was one of the most fun cameos in the movie. And the Blink Twice actor has been enjoying talking about the superhero.
In an Instagram post after the film’s release, Tatum thanked Ryan Reynolds for fighting for him and Gambit. During interviews, he expressed that he has wanted the superhero to return to the screen in a Gambit movie for almost a decade now, but the decision lies with Marvel boss Kevin Feige and Disney’s Bob Iger now.
But could that decision have been made? Because a new video of a deleted scene from Deadpool & Wolverine, shared by Ryan Reynolds, has ignited a fresh wave of hope amongst Gambit fans that we could still get a Gambit movie!
The deleted scene takes place in The Void, after the battle with Cassandra Nova. Gambit walks through Nova’s lair, amidst bodies of her gang strewn on the floor, all beaten down, and then turns to look at something. We don’t see what he is looking at as the camera zooms in on Gambit’s face, but he is smiling. And as you look closely int his glassy eyes, you can see the Marvel sparkle circle reflected in them!
This could absolutely mean that as Hunter B-15 had promised Deadpool, the superheroes stuck in The Void were returned to their respective timelines. Gambit survived! In fact, this confirms what many spotted in the post-credits scene where Deadpool is at the TVA office and trying to prove to us that Johnny Storm indeed badmouthed Nova and Wade wasn’t lying about it. In the background, on one of the TVA monitors, this same scene plays.
Fans had enthusiastic reactions to the clip, wondering if it confirmed exactly what they think it means—that we might get a Gambit movie in the future! Honestly, that would be pretty cool. I can almost hear Gambit say, “Wooimbouttamakeanameformyselfere!”
Who is Gambit?
(Disney+)
Gambit is a mutant who can use his mind to create and manipulate kinetic energy. He uses a deck of cards that he charges with this energy and his skill at throwing them as a weapon. Gambit’s other weapon is a bo staff used in Japanese martial arts, and he eventually joins the X-Men.
Back in 2014, there were talks of Channing Tatum being considered to play the superhero character in a Gambit movie, which then got stuck in developmental hell, and its release kept getting pushed back. After Disney acquired Fox, it officially canceled the film in 2019. That’s why Tatum’s appearance as Gambit in Deadpool & Wolverine was a pretty huge deal for fans of the superhero who had waited a long time to see the character on screen.
Would you be interested in seeing a Gambit movie?
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What’s a more impossible challenge than killing Wolverine? Completing this list. Wolverine was easily the best part of Deadpool & Wolverine, and the character is also responsible for one of the greatest superhero movies ever made: Logan. These variants are all good, but who is best?
9. Weapon Omega
(Marvel)
Who’s Weapon Omega? He’s the one-armed Wolverine that instantly murdered Deadpool. While all the Wolverines are short-fused and violent (one especially short) Weapon Omega isn’t really Wolverine. Rather, he isn’t really Logan. Weapon Omega appears in the Age of Apocalypse storyline, where a post-apocalyptic world has transformed Logan into someone completely unrecognizable. While we still love him and he’s totally badass, he’s not quite the Logan we know and love.
8. Crucified Wolverine
(Marvel)
Crucified Wolverine wins big points for one thing: commitment to the bit. Deadpool finds this Wolverine variant crucified on a giant X while surrounded by a sea of bones. Wait a minute, Wolverine has a healing factor, right? Couldn’t he just rip his way off that X and heal up? Yes, he could. But he doesn’t. Why not? Because he chooses not to. Obviously, this Wolverine has an understanding of the theatrical and the dramatic. He’s not coming down because he looks arresting up there. All style, no substance. But style is never to be underestimated.
7. Patch
(Marvel)
Patch is the sharply dressed undercover identity Wolverine uses when going… undercover. While he’s absolutely serving James Bond vibes, he doesn’t rank higher on this list because his disguise is… questionable. I mean, really Logan? Slicked back hair and an eyepatch do not a disguise make. Yes, you look amazing. But I can tell it’s you. Who wouldn’t recognize that face?
6. Short King Wolverine
Who doesn’t love a short king? This diminutive Wolverine isn’t some Mutliversal fluke, but actually a callout to the original Wolverine character. Before Hugh Jackman came along, Wolverine wasn’t exactly statuesque. He’s supposed to look like… well… a wolverine. Small. Ugly. Mean. Not to be messed with. The original Wolverine stood not at a Hugh Jackman 6’2″, but at a bite-sized 5’3″. Don’t be fooled. He might be a foot shorter than Hugh, but he’s got twice the rage.
5. Wolverine vs. The Hulk Wolverine
(Marvel)
Wolverine vs. The Hulk Wolverine earns big points because he’s from one of the best Wolverine stories ever told. Wolverine battles the Hulk. Who wouldn’t want to see that? His brown John Byrne-inspired costume is a strong fashion statement. Smokey. Woodsy. Totally stylish. You just know that guy smells like oak trees, gun oil, and aftershave. They need to make a deodorant inspired by this Wolverine. Surely it would fly off the shelves.
4. Old Man Logan
(Marvel)
When it comes to raw aura, few other Wolverines can compete with Old Man Logan. In case you couldn’t tell, he’s the old-looking dude sitting on the porch with a shotgun in his lap. Big aura points there. Old Man Logan comes from an X-Men storyline set in an alternate universe where all of the superheroes were wiped out by supervillains. Only Logan is left, his body finally catching up with him. This Wolverine is too tired to get up and claw Deadpool to death. That’s why he has the shottie equipped. It’s economical.
3. The Cavillrine
There’s only one man who could replace Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, and they found him. Henry Cavill is easily the most obvious choice. Who else could compete with ol’ Hugh in terms of brute strength and general rugged sex appeal? While the Cavillrine only had a few minutes of screen time, he left quite an impression on fans. They’re thirsty for more.
2. Logan
(Marvel)
While he may have been reduced to a bag of adamantium-plated bones in Deadpool & Wolverine, this Wolverine is responsible for one of the most impactful superhero movies of the 21st Century. What makes Logan so great? It’s a self-contained story. Unlike Deadpool & Wolverine, you don’t need to have watched a glut of Marvel content in order to understand the story. You literally just need to know the basic story of Logan, and the movie takes it from there. You’re not gonna miss out on any plot points because you didn’t watch season one episode six of a Marvel TV series or a Marvel movie from 10+ years ago. It’s a raw, brutal, and beautiful movie that doesn’t require any further explanation. Unlike Deadpool & Wolverine, Logan is a film that doesn’t need to gas itself up on endless cameos, repeated sword-in-testicles gags, and script that a twelve-year-old still learning to cuss could have come up with. Yes, Deadpool & Wolverine did exactly what it said it would do when they dug up Logan’s bones: It ruined this Logan’s legacy. But at least we still have our memories of him, right? Even if his actual bones are now impaled into the corpses of some time guys who were just trying to do their jobs.
1. ’00s Wolverine
(Marvel)
While this version of Wolverine only appears in the heartstring-tugging nostalgia bomb that was Deadpool & Wolverine’s post-credits sequence, it’s easy to see why this Wolverine reigns as king of the variants. He’s the one that started it all! This Wolverine was responsible for turning the X-Men into some of the most popular Marvel characters of all time. And look how adorable young Hugh Jackman is! So nervous to be on set for the first time! So unaware that he’s in the process of making history. He didn’t realize at the time, but Wolverine would soon become one of the actor’s most iconic roles. Like Deadpool said, Hugh could keep churning out Wolverine stories until he’s 90 years old and we’d all come back to watch them. After all, he was easily the best part of Deadpool & Wolverine, and arguably the strongest character in the film. Certainly the only one with any shred of pathos. Fingers crossed we get to see a 90-year-old Hugh as Old Man Logan someday.
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New players at the late-summer box office are struggling to find their footing. Holdovers Deadpool & Wolverine, Alien: Romulus and It Ends With Us are easily beating new offerings on the August marquee, including suspense thriller Blink Twice and The Crow reboot. Marking Zoë Kravitz’s directorial debut and starring Channing Tatum, Blink Twice looks to […]
Madonna hasn’t been shy about wanting her music catalogue to be appreciated by “the next generation.” In a 2022 interview with Variety, she even stated as much explicitly: “I’m just looking for interesting, fun ways to rerelease my catalogue and introduce my music to a new generation.” And yes, that was the same interview during which she also added that she had no intention of selling her back catalogue to anyone (as a slew of other “legacy artists” have done of late) because, as she remarked, “Ownership is everything” (an aphorism that has decidedly neoliberal overtones—something Taylor Swift can obviously get on board with).
As for funneling her music into the ears of a younger generation, it goes without saying that she’s been a fairly noticeable TikTok proponent, engaging with the various trends and challenges of the moment. In 2022, Madonna even experienced a viral blip on the app with, of all things, an unreleased demo called “Back That Up to the Beat” (which was initially composed during her Hard Candy era before making it onto 2019’s Madame X as a bonus track). But her most “interesting” method of reaching a new generation, of late, has been to license “Like A Prayer” for use in Deadpool & Wolverine, the third installment in the Deadpool series of films starring Ryan Reynolds.
In terms of how that particular single came to be such “a thing” for the movie, Reynolds explained during an interview for Live with Kelly and Mark, “‘Like A Prayer’ has been stuck in my head for six years with respect to this movie, and its application—how we use ‘Like A Prayer’ in the movie is exactly what I’d been thinking about for six years. The problem [was], like, I put it in the script, I built stuff around it and I hadn’t yet asked for permission to use it.” In another interview discussing the song’s use, Reynolds added, “It was a big deal to ask for, and certainly a bigger deal to use it. We went over and met with her and showed her how it was being used and where and why.” (Somehow, one doubts that Harmony Korine did the same for a scene in 1997’s Gummo.)
But, more than anything, it was “one of her sons” (though it’s unclear if that means Rocco Ritchie or David Banda) being a fan of Deadpool that incited Madonna to take the plunge on licensing such a timeless, beautiful song for a Marvel movie. As Kayla Schaefer (Megan Stalter) on Hacks puts it in season three, “Executives love listening to their kids.” In this case, that executive is Madonna, the CEO of all things Queen of Pop-related. And yet, taking advice from others on what to do with her image and work hasn’t always gone according to plan (think: her strong affiliation with the Bored Ape Yacht Club).
In this scenario, the consequence of “lending” “Like A Prayer” to such a specific and highly commercial cause is twofold. On the one hand, Madonna has achieved her aim of infecting the minds of a younger generation as that “Like A Prayer” scene makes the rounds on TikTok. On the other, now little ignorant assholes are referring to the track as “the song from Deadpool,” not seeming to comprehend how reductive and disrespectful it is to the true majesty of the work. Maybe Madonna didn’t totally account for how “giving” the song to Reynolds would result in it being subsequently forever associated with 1) a fight scene where Deadpool and Wolverine take on a wide range of other Deadpools and 2) a scene where Hugh Jackman’s abs are prominently focused on as the duo works to prevent the Time Ripper from destroying all timelines.
Neither scene, of course, really suits the lyrics of “Like A Prayer,” apart from, one supposes, “I can feel your power.” But maybe, beyond that, Reynolds was going for a certain “tone,” and “Like A Prayer” fit the bill more than anything else he could come up with. Even though, in truth, there are many other Madonna songs that might have better embodied the vibe, including “Frozen,” “4 Minutes” and “Give It 2 Me.” Alas, Madonna’s “later” work is rarely as lauded or appreciated as the material she released before the mid-nineties. And when it comes to Marvel movies, choosing the song with the most wide-ranging appeal is the name of the game. Hence, using one of her biggest hits from, what else, the eighties.
Evidently wanting to get their mileage out of shelling out to license the track, Reynolds as Deadpool even makes a comment about it after emerging from his death brush with Wolverine to inform everyone, “You put a Deadpool and a Wolverine together, make ‘em hold hands while listening to Madonna: indestructible, motherfucker.” Sort of like Madonna herself, who has continuously “reanimated” (a.k.a. reinvented) during every decade of her career to show that her ability to adapt to each new era (whether that means embracing certain technology, apps or, now, film franchises) itself informs her own eras—which then inform pop culture itself. And the cycle goes on and on…presumably in every timeline.
The major drawback of that, however, is that, as she angles to get her back catalogue into the ears of new listeners (perhaps aware that only the true die-hards are more interested in her releasing new music), she is left with little choice but to dilute the integrity of the original product. And that’s a big digression for someone who once defiantly told her father when he asked of her Blond Ambition Tour, “Can’t you tone it down a bit?”: “No, because that would be compromising my artistic integrity.” This being precisely what Madonna has done (though not for the first time) in opting to have “Like A Prayer” so prominently featured in Deadpool & Wolverine. But maybe it’s better to have the song remembered for being in the latter than so prominently used in the recent fail that was The Idol.
And, on the note of “failure,” it’s a good thing, for Madonna’s sake, that Deadpool & Wolverine has surpassed the box office receipts of the first two movies—lest Madonna somehow get blamed for being “box office kryptonite” (though that’s technically a DC word) even when she’s not actually in the movie.
After Wesley Snipes’ surprise cameo in Marvel’s latest phase 5 outing, Deadpool & Wolverine, I think it’s safe to say that we’re all a bit worried about the state of the 2025 Blade reboot, which is supposed to star Mahershala Ali. Now, Snipes has chimed in, not confirming nor denying his involvement in the film.
It was the line that raised eyebrows in movie theaters around the world: “There’s only been one Blade. Only ever gonna be one Blade.” This, of course, is said by Snipes during his character’s shining moment in the climax of Deadpool & Wolverine, which sees him fighting Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin) in the Void alongside Channing Tatum’s Gambit, X-23/Laura (Dafne Keen), and Elektra (Jennifer Garner)—with some help from Logan (Hugh Jackman) and Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds), of course.
Although it could be interpreted as a one-off gag on Snipes’ behalf or a tongue-in-cheek jab at the MCU, some interpreted it differently. Chronically online fans know that the Mahershala Ali-fronted Blade remake, which Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige announced at San Diego Comic-Con in 2019, has been stuck in development limbo. After all, 2019 was a different time for the MCU, back when it wasn’t being weighed down by a string of underwhelming movies and Disney+ spinoffs. Since then, we’ve seen a number of projects shelved or flat-out canceled, leading some to wonder if Blade will suffer a similar fate.
So was Snipes’ appearance in Deadpool & Wolverine proof that Marvel is ditching Blade 2025? Or will Snipes, perhaps, reprise his role? Either way, he seems to have Some Thoughts about the whole thing.
Wesley Snipes responds to Blade reboot recasting rumors, again
In the wake of Snipes’ Deadpool & Wolverine cameo, some have called for Marvel to cancel the 2025 Blade reboot altogether. The movie clearly reinvigorated fans’ love for his iteration of the Vampire slayer, and his whole “only ever gonna be one Blade” schpiel seems to have a portion of the fandom convinced that there should only be one Blade. Putting two and two together, the return of Snipes’ Blade andthe lack of progress on the 2025 reboot seem to imply that the project might be scrapped for good.
Earlier this week, the OG Blade actor took to Instagram to share a screenshot of a headline reading, “Cancel Mahershala Ali’s Blade Movie And Bring Wesley Snipes’ Daywalker Into The MCU.” He captioned his post with, “Y’all, crazy! hahaha,” which…doesn’t really clear anything up.
Of course, this could just be Snipes sharing his immediate gut reaction to the article, but still—seems a bit dismissive, no? Almost like he A.) agrees with the sentiment or B.) knows something we don’t. Or, there’s the mysterious, undisclosed third option: I’m just reading too much into it.
Is Blade 2025 canceled? Technically, no.
So, are these just baseless rumors? Until Kevin Feige and Co. chime in, essentially, yes. It’s true that production on the new Blade film has moved at a snail’s pace, but it hasn’t been erased from Marvel’s phase 6 slate, nor does Mahershala Ali have yet to drop out as the title hero. So while it is odd that Feige neglected to comment on Bladeduring Marvel’s Hall H panel at last month’s SDCC in favor of Captain America: Brave New World, Fantastic Four: First Steps, and Thunderbolts, technically, it’s still a go.
To be clear, there is currently no Wesley Snipes-led Blade movie in development at Marvel, and Mahershala Ali’s take on the iconic Daywalker is still his next scheduled appearance. The latest Blade news is that director Yann Demange reportedly exited the project in June, which even garnered a response from Snipes on X (Twitter) then. He obviously has a lot of love for this character, but again, his remarks don’t necessarily prove that Blade 2025 has been canceled, even if his Deadpool cameo threw fuel on the rumor fire. And if the movie has been severely delayed. And if it doesn’t have a director. And—
From its initial announcement at SDCC 2019 to a bevy of casting updates and a rotating door of directors, it’s no wonder people are so confused about the MCU’s planned Blade reboot. I think there’s certainly room for more than one Eric Brooks in the Multiverse, but who knows? Maybe this really is a franchise best left untouched. Either way, it’ll be interesting to see when—and if—the upper echelon at Marvel addresses the film’s fate as it inches closer to its November 2025 release window. Sure, Jan…
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With his return coming nearly 26 years after first playing the half-vampire “daywalker” (aka Eric Brooks), Snipes beats out Deadpool & Wolverine co-star Hugh Jackman for Longest Career as a Live-Action Marvel Character. After Jackman first played Wolverine (aka Logan) in 2000’s X-Men, he was expected to beat out Patrick Stewart‘s Professor Charles Xavier for the title with his latest performance.
With more than 19 years since his last appearance in Blade: Trinity (2004), Snipes also claims Longest Gap Between Character Appearances in Marvel Films. Alfred Molina previously held the record with his return as Doctor Octopus in Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), 17 years after Spider-Man 2 (2004).
After first co-starring with Reynolds in Blade: Trinity, Snipes admitted he “did not think it was possible” to reprise the character until Reynolds reached out about the cameo.
Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman in Deadpool & Wolverine (2024). (Jay Maidment/Marvel/Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection)
“I didn’t think he would be able to pull it off,” Snipes told Entertainment Weekly. “I didn’t think that Marvel was into it. Disney was into it. And also because they had Mahershala [Ali], you know, cast for the next upcoming version of it. So, it didn’t make sense to me.”
“It was a couple years ago and I got a text from Ryan, we’re buddies,” Evans recalled. “He just said, ‘Listen, if you don’t like this idea, no worries whatsoever. But I have something that could really bring the house down and would let you play a character from your past.’”
The Ghosted star continued, “I mean, honestly, I would do anything Ryan asked. He gave me a great cameo in Free Guy already, and I just trust him completely. So the chance to be Johnny again, I couldn’t pass up. I loved it. It was fun to shoot, fun to watch, all of it.”
Though Evans is more recognized for his role as Steve Rogers/Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, his latest appearance as Johnny Storm came nearly two decades after he first debuted the superhero in 2005’s Fantastic Four. He also starred in 2007’s Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.
The Avengers actor also scored a second appearance in the Shawn Levy-directed movie after the credits, which saw Evans giving an expletive-filled monologue. Ahead of filming the Deadpool & Wolverine scene, he said Reynolds actually offered him some additional help, but he declined.
“Ryan was like, ‘Listen, if we need cue cards…’ and I was like, ‘Cue cards? I’m showing up off-book,’” Evans recounted. “I don’t get to say dialogue like this. Trust me. I’m going to enjoy every second of this. Memorized.”
Earlier this week, Evans took to his Instagram Story to show his appreciation for Levy, Reynolds and Hugh Jackman for “letting me be a part of such an incredible movie.” He added in the post, “Playing Johnny again was a dream come true and he’ll always have a special place in my heart.”
SPOILER ALERT:This story contains spoilers for “Deadpool & Wolverine,” which is now playing in theaters.
Wesley Snipes has broken two Guinness World Records after making a unexpected appearance as Blade in “Deadpool & Wolverine.”
The actor’s return as the half-vampire “daywalker” in superhero threequel comes 25 years and 340 days after he first played the character in 1998’s “Blade,” according to Guinness World Records, securing him the record of the longest career as a live-action Marvel character. Snipes beat out his co-star Hugh Jackman, whose first appearance as Wolverine came 24 years ago in 2000’s “X-Men.”
Snipes’ surprise cameo as Blade also earned him another Guinness World Record: the longest gap between character appearances in Marvel films. According to Guinness, he last played the character 19 years and 231 day ago in the 2004 film “Blade: Trinity,” surpassing Alfred Molina’s 17-year gap between playing Doc Ock in 2004’s “Spider-Man 2” and 2021’s “Spider-Man: No Way Home.”
Snipes’ Blade was among the many cameos in “Deadpool & Wolverine,” starring Ryan Reynolds and Jackman. In the movie, the vampire hunter joins forces with the title characters, as well as Elektra (Jennifer Garner), X-23 (Dafne Keen) and Gambit (Channing Tatum), to battle Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin) and her mutant minions.
“Deadpool & Wolverine,” released July 26, has already broken multiple records at the box office. The film earned $205 million in its opening weekend, ranking as the eighth-best debut of all time and setting the record for the biggest R-rated opening weekend ever. “Deadpool & Wolverine” also landed by far the biggest start of 2024, overtaking Disney’s Pixar sequel “Inside Out 2” ($155 million debut). It currently stands as the second-highest-grossing domestic release of the year.
The MCU’s had a rough go in the years since Avengers: Endgamebrought the Infinity Saga to a close. Everyone’s made their feelings on the movies’ inconsistency quite known, especially lately, but apparently there’s a limit to who can dish some smack talk.
In case you hadn’t heard yet, Jamie Lee Curtis dished her own thoughts on the MCU’s current quality. While doing promo for next week’s Borderlands, she was asked about Marvel’s current phase, to which she responded: “Bad.” Naturally, it went viral, and things escalated from there. She later apologized, calling her comment “stupid, and I will do better. I’ve reached out to Kevin Feige, and will no longer play in that mud slinging sandbox of competition we call the internet.”
Accepting both right & wrong answers on any Marvel trivia questions @JoshuaHorowitz or I ask 🤭
This is a very weird situation Curtis is in, because she’s not saying anything particularly vicious. Again, people have been pretty explicit about thinking the most recent phases haven’t been as strong as earlier ones, and often considerably harsher than Curtis. This isn’t even the first time she’s taken swipes at the franchise; back when Doctor Strange 2came out, she called its main poster a ripoff of one from Everything Everywhere All at Once. It also doesn’t seem like anyone at Marvel’s openly felt a way about her comments like they did when Martin Scorcese or other filmmakers have made similar statements. After her apology, Deadpool & Wolverine star Ryan Reynolds threw her a lifeline by pointing out the double standard at play.
Some of this is tangled up in Curtis being in Disney’s Haunted Mansionreboot and currently filming Freaky Friday 2. Through that lens, sure, she probably shouldn’t be talking shit, but Deadpool also takes an even more pointed jab at the MCU in the film proper. If Disney is the one who got her to issue an apology, they can’t really have it both ways. And if it was just due to public outcry…too bad? Jamie Lee Curtis is 65 years old, and she should get to crack jokes or not like movies other people do. Fans have been gradually converted into ballistic missiles for corporations to use when needed, and it’s a not great sign that this occurred in the first place.
Marvel’s going to recover from its rough patch eventually, and Deadpool & Wolverine’s on the path to making $1 billion and taking the top spot for many’s “best of 2024” lists. Let Curtis and anyone else live their truth–if you want to let people enjoy things, you should also let them freely be the biggest haters.
It wasn’t until about 10 a.m. PT on Saturday that Disney’s distribution team realized that the near-impossible was within reach: Deadpool & Wolverine was going to cross the $200 million mark in its domestic opening, an unimaginable feat for an R-rated pic. Case in point: the biggest R-rated opening until now was the $133.7 million collected by the first Deadpool in 2016.
By Sunday morning, the news was official. The Marvel Studios movie opened to an estimated $205 million, the eighth-biggest debut of all time among any film and by far the biggest launch for an R-rated film, not adjusted for inflation. The third outing in Ryan Reynolds‘ irreverent superhero franchise smashed numerous other records both domestically and overseas, where it launched to $233.3 million for a global start of $438.3, the biggest debut since Avatar: The Way of the Water in December 2022.
Reynolds has just returned home from a dizzying worldwide tour for the film with BFFs Shawn Levy, who directed Deadpool & Wolverine, and co-star Hugh Jackman. He conversed with The Hollywood Reporter on Sunday about his reaction to the opening, which exceeded all expectations. Most thought it could only get to $175 million to $180 million because of the rating, although one Disney insider says the studio was aware it had a shot at hitting $200 million — provided it got the required foot traffic.
Reynolds has his own theory about its success. “Disney probably doesn’t want me to frame it this way, but I’ve always thought of Deadpool & Wolverine as the first four-quadrant, R-rated film,” Reynolds tells THR. “Yes, it’s rated R, but we set out to make a movie with enough laughs, action and heart to appeal to everyone, whether you’re a comic book movie fan or not.”
There’s reason Disney and others may bristle at labeling it a four-quadrant film, which generally is reserved for movies that work equally for males and females over and under 25. Afterall, it is perhaps the most violent and bloody Deadpool movie yet.
Still, here’s evidence to back up Reynolds’ theory that it’s playing to a far more broad audience than the usual MCU movie, even if it’s skewing male by anywhere from 60 to 63 percent.
So far, 13.6 million people have bought tickets to see it, on par with last year’s Barbie, which was rated PG-13, according to Steve Buck’s leading research firm EntTelligence. That’s the most foot traffic ever for an R-rated movie.
More tellingly, 11 percent of the audience was under 17. R-rated films typically only have 5 percent, according to Buck’s outfit. At the same time, it should be noted that 21 percent of the audience for Marvel’s last five films, all rated PG-13, were under the age of 17, according to an unweighted analysis by EntTelligence.
Deadpool & Wolverine showed strength across all age groups — again, to Reynolds’ point — and not just the 18 to 34 crowd, which can make up as much as 60 to 70 percent of a superhero film’s opening weekend.
According to Entelligence, those between ages 18 and 25 made up 21 percent of ticket buyers; 28 percent were between 26 and 35; 33 percent were between 36 and 45; 12 percent were between 44 and 60; and 5 percent were 55 and older. PostTrack, another leading exit-polling service, had slightly different percentage breakdowns, but not by much. Other stats: 81 percent of the audience was non-family, 13 percent were family groups, and 6 percent were teenagers.
“Once thought of as a sure-fire way to limit potential box office, the R rating, when properly applied, can be the key to unlocking massive box office, and this has proven to be the secret sauce for the Deadpool franchise,” says chief Comscore box office analyst Paul Dergarabedian. “The creative freedom afforded by the less restrictive rating has enabled filmmakers to push the envelope and, particularly in the case of Deadpool & Wolverine, can deliver the kind of edgy, intense, profanity-filled comedy action that modern audiences are fired up to see on the big screen.”
The R rating afforded Reynolds the creative freedom needed to fulfill his vision. “When I saw rated-R movies when I was a kid, they left a huge impression on me because I didn’t feel like people were pulling punches, and it’s been a huge inspiration to so many of the things that I look to make now,” Reynolds recently told The New York Times.
“I’m not saying that other people should do this, but my 9-year-old watched the movie with me and my mom, who’s in her late 70s, and it was just one of the best moments of this whole experience for me,” Reynolds continued in the NYT piece. “Both of them were laughing their guts out, were feeling the emotion where I most desperately hoped people would be.”
If Disney is wary of declaring the new Deadpool film an all-audience film — aka, a four-quadrant film — it’s understandable considering it is the first R-rated film ever released by the studio. When Kevin Feige‘s Marvel Studios got its hands on the franchise after Disney absorbed 20th Century Fox, Disney chief Bob Iger went out of his way to assure audiences that Deadpool would retain its R-rating legacy.
For Reynolds, it’s been a long journey since Deadpool 2 was released by Fox in 2018, between the Disney-Fox merger, the pandemic and then the strikes, which shut down production for months. The movie, in fact, is replete with references to the Fox-Marvel handover, and its implications.
“I’ve been in some form of writing, producing, performing, editing and marketing of Deadpool & Wolverine for three years. I’d say it’s hard work, but it’s closer to obsession. The privilege and honor of making a movie with two of my closest friends in Shawn Levy and Hugh Jackman is never lost on me,” Reynolds tells THR. “Neither is the obscene talent and competence of a ruthlessly devoted post-production team.”
Among additional records domestically, the film is the top opening ever for Reynolds, Levy and Jackman and the fifth-biggest superhero launch. It’s also the biggest July opening of all time, the biggest opening of 2024 so far and Marvel Studios’ biggest launch since Spider-Man: No Way Home in December 2021.
Levy and Reynolds co-wrote the script with veteran Deadpool scribes Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, along with writer Zeb Wells. Reynolds, who is himself a master marketer, is also giving a tip of his hat to the team at Disney. The star tells THR: “Witnessing the prowess of Marvel/Disney’s promotional machine under Kevin Feige, Lou D’Esposito and Asad Ayaz was a learning experience I’ll never forget. I feel like I’ve waited my whole life to make this movie, and the outcome is icing on an already incredible cake.”
new video loaded: ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ | Anatomy of a Scene
transcript
transcript
‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ | Anatomy of a Scene
The director Shawn Levy narrates a sequence from his film starring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman.
I’m Shawn Levy, the director, co-writer and co-producer of “Deadpool & Wolverine.” “So what made you finally wear an honest-to-God costume?” This scene happens at the midpoint of the film where Deadpool and Wolverine, this unlikely duo, are on this quest, and they come across an incongruous diner in the middle of this void landscape. And it’s really the first meaty dialogue scene between the two. This has always been one of Ryan’s and my favorite scenes from the moment we wrote it because it puts two iconic anti-heroes in this incredibly generic trope of the Americana road movie. So the mismatch of these visuals two superheroes sitting in a booth in a ‘50s diner. That was a thrill. “Want to talk about what’s haunting you or should we wait for a third act flashback? “Uhh, Go [muted] yourself.” As the scene evolves, What we reveal here in something of a monologue … “In my world, you’re uh, [clears throat] You’re well regarded.” … is he’s a fan. He is somewhat reverential and in fact envious of the mythic status of the Wolverine. It’s a quieter scene than we’re used to. It’s a longer dramatic monologue than I think Wade Wilson has ever done. “My girlfriend left me and — “You had a girlfriend?” “Yeah. Vanessa. When we met, she was a dancer. We had a whole life.” And it was a joy for Ryan and I to write because this film is as funny, I hope, as people expect and as action packed, but we were really aspiring to make it genuinely warm hearted and meatier on a character-rooted emotional basis than maybe people expect out of a “Deadpool” movie. And I think the emotionality of the film may very well prove to be its most subversive element.
Recent episodes in Anatomy of a Scene
Film directors walk viewers through one scene of their movies, showing the magic, motives and the mistakes from behind the camera.
Film directors walk viewers through one scene of their movies, showing the magic, motives and the mistakes from behind the camera.
As Deadpool & Wolverine points out, Hugh Jackman’s Logan is joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe at kind of a low point. But yet again, our Marvel Jesus is here to make us laugh and feel like we are so back. Happy to report that Deadpool & Wolverine rules, actually.
Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) needs to find a purpose, and he does so by torturing Wolverine at every turn—which isn’t that surprising; it IS a Deadpool movie. But where the third installment stands out is in its ability to bring Wade’s humanity and openness to light. He will always have a snarky one liner, but buried in that is a man who deeply cares about people and wants to protect them.
It has all the big action sequences fans want, Deadpool and Wolverine just going to town on each other because they can and neither of them will die from it, but they use that to their advantage. My favorite shot in the whole movie might just be one that, of course, turns all of this into inuendo.
As is always the case with Wade, his story centers around Vanessa (Morena Baccarin), but this time it’s different. He isn’t desperately trying to get her back, but is instead trying to better himself for once—and doing it with Logan at his side makes it an exciting journey for the audience to go on.
There are some pacing issues, and I found myself asking why we were still doing some things while barely scratching the surface of others, but it overall feels like the Deadpool movies we all know and love, and that’s what we wanted!
Oh my surprises!
The biggest thing I can say about this movie that isn’t going to spoil you is that you simply need to see it ASAP if you don’t to be spoiled by anything. There is a LOT that happens in the film’s slightly over two-hour runtime, and every moment had me laughing out loud, surprised they went there.
But what works is that Deadpool & Wolverine isn’t just about the cameos. Much like the scene when Wade sees the X-Men in Deadpool 2, it all helps to serve as Wade Wilson’s wall-breaking gaze into things, while the story is still his. While yes, there are more than ever before, they’re still rooted in Wilson’s journey.
They don’t take away from what Logan and Wade have to do, and it still feels genuine seeing these two characters coming together to try to save the world one unhinged joke at a time.
Hugh Jackman is so back
Jackman’s take on Wolverine is one that helped redefine the character. Seeing him back (and in the yellow suit) surprisingly means a lot. I didn’t really ever need him to be this version of Logan, but it works and brings a new Logan into the mix.
After Logan, I didn’t think I needed to see Jackman in an X-Men movie again. Yet, it really works to make us care about this version of Logan. And yes, it’s nice seeing his arms out ready to fight at any given moment.
It’s fun and very Deadpool
I think many people wanted this movie to solve the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s problems. I don’t think it aimed to do that, nor do I think it does. What this movie does is tie a nice bow on what the Fox movies did for superheroes. It is a love letter to the studio, faults and all.
This could have been another movie that ruined what we love about Deadpool movies to make it fit in with the MCU, but instead, we got to see what a Wade Wilson movie under the MCU umbrella would look like done right.
I don’t think it is the messiah people want it to be, and that’s a good thing. It is a movie about Deadpool and Wolverine, just as it should be.
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Deadpool & Wolverinehits theaters in a few weeks, and it’s been a bit of a longer than expected wait for Wade Wilson to come back in theaters. If you haven’t seen the previous movies in a minute, or just want to watch Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman do some cut back and forth banter, they’ve got you covered.
As part of Entertainment Weekly’s cover story on the film, the two actors sat down to recap the major events of the first two Deadpool movies, and also X-Men Origins: Wolverine. That last one briefly opens the recap, and mostly exists so the two can throw some shade at the film and how it ultimately led to Reynolds reprising his short role to begin with. (“We don’t like to talk about this one too much,” says Jackman early on, followed later by Reynolds saying the movie wasn’t either of their fault.) Throughout the Deadpool sections, there’s plenty of laughs to be had about the makeup job to play Wade’s disfigured face, the “lots of affordable” X-Men throughout the franchise, and Deadpool 2’s meta post-credit gags.
If you’ve had fun watching the two’s rapport grow since they first revealed Jackman would be a part of Deadpool’s third movie, you’re gonna get some fun out of the recap. The pair have been all over the marketing for Deadpool & Wolverine, and it’s fun to watch them get some jabs at each other, be confused by the earlier movies, and also take some shots at their own careers. (When talking about Reynolds murdering himself at the end of Deadpool 2 as “housekeeping” on Fox’s dime, Jackman acknowledges that he may need a cleaner himself.) Sadly, there’s no recap of Logan, which makes sense since this is an alternate version, but it would’ve been fun watching them try explaining movies’ wonky-ass timeline.
Deadpool & Wolverine arrives in theaters on July 26. All the X-Men movies can be watched on Disney+, and if you don’t have that, just wait two weeks for FX to marathon the first two Deadpool movies (and probably Origins and Logan too).
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission.
The onslaught of “Deadpool & Wolverine” merchandise is upon us, but thankfully, Ryan Reynolds’ long-touted Aviation Gin line is actually… pretty fantastic. You’ve seen the Wolverine popcorn bucket, now taste the booze good enough for Marvel’s naughtiest hero, Deadpool!
Reynolds, who still maintains a stake in the Aviation Gin company he invested in back in 2018, has included sneaky Aviation plugs throughout his filmography including “Red Notice” and “Deadpool 2.” In the 2021 film “Free Guy” you can see a tiny bottle appear under the cheeky labeling “subtle product placement.”
Now, Deadpool official has his own booze line at Aviation along with a funny drink titled “The Vasectomy” that Reynolds demonstrated how to make online. Note the plug to his wife Blake Lively’s lovely mixer line Betty Buzz, subtle cross-marketing technique, or vague foreshadowing to a possible Lively cameo on the “Deadpool & Wolverine” film? You be the judge.
Originally founded in Portland, Ore., Aviation Gin ushered in a new wave of American gin with a softer, smother taste of citrus and floral notes with juniper. It’s still handcrafted in small, 100-case batches and distilled with a special process that guarantees the purest flavor.
And if you’re looking for more intel on celebrity spirits, there’s Bruno Mars who has curated nine cocktail recipes with his SelvaRey Rum, each in tandem with a different song off his “Silk Sonic” album with Anderson Paak. For “Vampire Diaries” fans, there’s Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley’s Bond Brothers Bourbon, nodding to the pair’s beloved on-screen relationship during the show’s eight-season run (not to mention Cara and Poppy Delevingne’s own sibling creation, Della Vite Prosecco). And, of course, for the whiskey drinkers among us, there’s always Nick Offerman’s Lagavulin Whiskey, whose latest limited-edition bottle received a double Gold Medal at the 2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competition
Here are the best celebrity-founded alcohol brands to get excited about.
Nick Offerman & Lagavulin Whiskey
Ron Swanson is somewhat of a scotch whiskey connoisseur in “Parks and Recreation” but Nick Offerman has made clear that the expertise extends to the actor himself after teaming up with Lagavulin to create his own bottle of whiskey in 2019. But it’s the latest edition to the line, the Guiness Cask Finish, that received a double Gold Medal at the 2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The limited-edition bottle came out in 2021, and its classic notes of barbeque smoke, citrus and brine will make for a thoughtful gift for any Offerman and whiskey fans you know.
Rita Ora & Próspero Tequila
Próspero Tequila is one of only four spirits founded by a female celebrity. The British singer and songwriter teamed up with Próspero (and their female master distiller Stella Anguiano) last year for three tequila variants: blanco, reposado and añejo. So, if you know a tequila-lover who likes the idea of women breaking into the male-dominated spirits space, then you’ll want to check out her new collection.
Bruno Mars & SelvaRey Rum
You might’ve heard of Bruno Mars’ SelvaRey for the first time last year when the singer created nine cocktails recipes using the tropical rum in tandem with the songs off he and Anderson Paak’s “Silk Sonic” album. The single-estate rum distilled in Panama was originally founded in 2014 by Seth Gold, Marc Gold and Robert Herzig but Mars came on as a co-owner shortly after the launch. And, of course, a distinct creative vision for the brand (alongside a bunch of fun new flavors) followed. The white and chocolate rums are the most unique offerings from the line, and also earned the highest scores by the trade publication “The Tasting Panel.”
Kate Hudson & King St. Vodka
When Kate Hudson was hosting a cocktail party for friends, she wanted to whip up a few dirty martinis but wasn’t happy with her vodka options. And when she realized none of them were made by women, she decided to create her own. King St. Vodka is gluten-free, non-GMO, made with alkaline water and distilled seven times and then filtered for purity in Santa Barbara, California. The name comes from Hudson’s former home on King Street in New York City.
George Clooney & Casamigos Blanco Tequila
Courtesy of Casamigos
George Clooney ventured into the tequila space before it became an oversaturated Hollywood trend — and the brand’s three varieties (blanco, reposado and anejo) still manage to be some of the best on the market, beloved by the A-list crowd and tequila snobs alike. Co-founded with Rande Gerber, Casamigos is made from 100% agave in the Jalisco highlands.
Post Malone released his first wine in 2020, but his new rosé bottle called Maison No. 9, which hit shelves this past summer, has been the musician’s most popular blend. Named after Malone’s favorite tarot card (the nine of swords), the No. 9 is a mix of Grenache, Syra and Merlot with notes of pineapple, pear and strawberry.
Whip up sugary cocktails at home with Mariah Carey’s new liqueur brand “Black Irish” named after the pop star’s own heritage, born to a Black-Venezuelan father and Irish mother. The original blends come in three flavors (Original, White Chocolate and Salted Caramel), perfect for a coffee-based cocktail or festive hot toddy.
Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley & Brother’s Bond Bourbon
Fans will be happy to see former on-screen brothers and “Vampire Diaries” stars back together again, this time as the business partners behind their own bourbon brand. When they weren’t playing the bloodthirsty vampires on CW that catapulted them into fame during the show’s eight-season run, they were sipping bourbon together to wind down from their long days of shooting. The pair finally launched their own brand this past July with Brother’s Bond, whose first blend is a four-grain bourbon made with corn, rye, wheat and malt.
Adam Levine and Behati Prinsloo & Calirosa Tequila
Power couple Behati Prinsloo and Adam Levine are more than just a Victoria’s Secret model and Maroon 5 frontman, respectively. They’re also avid tequila drinkers, and turned their love for their spirit into what they’ve called their “third baby,” the Calirosa. The pink-tinted tequila is made in Mexico and aged in California wine barrels for a unique distilling process (usually tequila is aged in whiskey or bourbon barrels) that gives off fruity notes.
Cara and Poppy Delevingne Della Vite Prosecco
Cara and Poppy’s Della Vite first launched in the U.K but finally made it to the states with the duo’s first sustainably-produced prosecco this past September. The sisters’ love for Italy was one of the first inspirations behind the blend, which pays homage to the traditional wine-making process in Italy, and comes in two different expressions: Superiore DOCG and Treviso DOC.
Matthew McConaughey & Wild Turkey Longbranch Bourbon
McConaughey spent two years crafting the taste of his new bourbon Longbranch, which honors both the actor’s and master distiller Eddie Russell’s Texas and Kentucky roots. The final product was chosen after the pair tasted their 83rd sample while on a camping trip. The small batch bourbon was refined in Texas mesquite for a subtle hints of smoke, sweetness and spice.
Bob Dylan & Heaven’s Door Whiskey
Beloved folk singer and composer Bob Dylan joined the ranks of celebrity spirits founders in 2018 with Heaven’s Door, referencing one of his biggest hit songs “Knocking on Heaven’s Door.” To date, the brand has three core expressions: Straight Rye Whiskey, Double Barrel Whiskey and Tennessee Straight Bourbon. Plus, the bottles make for a perfect gift for anyone who prefers to deck their bar cart out with pretty bottles. Each bottle features artwork of metal sculptures from Dylan’s art studio Black Buffalo Ironworks.
Kendall Jenner & 818 Tequila
818 Tequila, the spirits brand created by the model and “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” star, sold out brick-and-mortar storefronts within hours of its first initial launch in May. While the celebrity-to-tequila-brand pipeline has sparked debates online, Jenner has pledged to use profits to both benefit the community in Jalisco, Mexico where it’s distilled, in addition to the planet as a whole. She and her team discovered eco-friendly ways to source the agave, using the agave waste and fibers to build sustainable bricks to build homes in the area. 1% of profits will also go towards planet-saving initiatives through 1% For the Planet.
Dwayne Johnson & Teremana Tequila
How about a margarita on the rocks with the Rock? Dwayne Johnson’s small-batch tequila is made by hand in a town in the highlands of Jalisco by a Mexican-owned distillery. Wonder where the name comes from? He explained it all in an Instagram post: “TERA is meant to represent ‘Terre’ which means of the earth and MANA is our powerful Polynesian spirit that guides us. Spirit of the earth. Our goal is to create a tequila that is the best of quality and taste, but done the right way — by hand. Small-batch, hand-crafted tequila from our Teremana blue agave, maturing in the highlands of Jalisco, for everyone to enjoy.”
Jay-Z & Armand de Brignac Champagne
Remember Jay-Z’s infamous feud with Cristal Champagne? In case it doesn’t ring a bell, when asked about his thoughts on all the rappers drinking their Champagne, the company director said he can’t forbid people from buying it. Jay-Z promptly stopped serving it at his 40/40 Club and told his fans to boycott it too. To fill that bubbly void, he invested in and eventually bought Armand de Brignac, AKA Ace of Spades, a French Champagne company.
Nick Jonas & Villa One Tequila
If a trip to Mexico inspires you to drink more tequila, you’re not the only one to have that idea. Villa One Tequila co-founders Nick Jonas and fashion designer John Varvatos decided to create their brand while they were on vacation in Mexico. They source 100% blue weber agave from both the highland and lowland regions of Jalisco, Mexico, and offer silver, reposado and anejo varieties.
Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul & Dos Hombres
Most “Breaking Bad” fans are likely well aware of the bromance that took place between the co-stars off-screen, so it’s no surprise the dos hombres decided to create a mezcal line together. Dos Hombres gave them a way to continue working together after the TV series ended. The artisanal mezcal is made by producers in San Luis del Rio, a small village in a rural area of Oaxaca.
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt & Miraval Rosé
Though Brangelina is no more, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt will continue producing their prize-winning Château Miraval Rosé wine. The then couple purchased Château Miraval in Provence in 2008 and held their wedding on the estate in August 2014. They decided to keep the winery as an investment for the children, so luckily we can still sip the airy, fruit rosé.
Robert De Niro & VDKA 6100 Vodka
Robert De Niro is a famed vodka enthusiast so it makes sense that the award-winning actor and director created his own brand years before celebrity spirits became such a trend. His attachment to the New Zealand-distilled company is no doubt part of the brand’s success, and the 6100 is the product of dozens of taste tests. This is the perfect drink for martini drinkers, who might be inclined to stir up (not shake!) their own “De Niro Martini,” which the actor used as a jumping off point for his own vodka creation: four ounces of vodka, one ounce of dry vermouth and a lemon twist.
That’s one of the new images above, featuring Wade (Ryan Reynolds) and Peter at work together. It’s from a scene early in the film that screened at CinemaCon 2024 and you can read all about it here. Basically, Wade and Peter are car salesman and while Peter wants Wade to go back to being Deadpool, Wade does not. This is before the birthday party you see in the trailers.
Then here’s another photo of Peter that looks more like it’s from Superstore than a superhero film but hey, he’s great so we like it.
Image: Marvel Studios
Finally, here’s the new image of Cassandra Nova, the character we all expect to be the big bad of the film. Either way, she’s certainly one of the main villains, considering the trailers have shown here with a team of B-level X-Men characters, in a gigantic Ant-Man helmet, and her powers completely baffling Wolverine (Hugh Jackman). But here we get a bit more of her stare, a bit more of her fashion, and a bit more of her lair. She looks very calm, very confident, and very much like Professor X, whom she’s related to in the comics but…is she here?
Image: Marvel Studios
Just a brief tease of Deadpool & Wolverine, which is coming very, very soon. Starring tars Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin, Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, Leslie Uggams, Karan Soni, and Matthew Macfadyen, it opens July 26.
With a bunch of Loki connections already revealed in the trailers, Deadpool & Wolverine is going to be a treat for fans of the hit Disney+ series. Now, one character is reportedly appearing in Deadpool’s latest raunchy adventure.
Deadpool & Wolverine, due out in theaters on July 26, sees Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) and Logan (Hugh Jackman) teaming up to stop Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin) from wreaking havoc in the multiverse. The two team up after being recruited by Agent Paradox (Matthew Macfayden) of the Time Variance Authority, which oversees the flow of time.
The film’s first connection to Loki is obvious: the TVA. First introduced in Loki season 1, the TVA is a vast bureaucracy that exists outside of time. In season 1, the TVA is dedicated to deleting errant timelines that branch off of the Sacred Timeline. When Loki inadvertently starts a new branch by stealing the Tesseract, he’s arrested by the TVA and then recruited to help stop a dangerous variant of himself. In season 2, the TVA pivots to protecting the infinite branches of the multiverse from variants of He Who Remains, a.k.a. Kang the Conqueror.
Another possible connection to Loki is only rumor at this point, but it would be a fun addition: President Loki, a Loki variant loosely based on the comic book series Vote Loki, is rumored to play a role in the film.
One TVA agent, Hunter B-15 (Wunmi Mosaku), is pivotal to both seasons of Loki. In season 1, she captures Loki and brings him into custody. In season 2, she helps Loki and Mobius (Owen Wilson) bring stability to the multiverse and fend off Kang variants. In fact, at the end of the series, it’s hinted that she rises to a leadership role in the TVA.
Now, Mosaku may be returning to the role of B-15 in Deadpool & Wolverine.
Sources say Hunter B-15 will be in Deadpool & Wolverine
(Disney)
Yesterday, The Cosmic Circus reported that according their sources, Hunter B-15 will “have a brief role” in the film. The outlet didn’t provide much more detail than that, but if Marvel stays true to form, the role could possibly be a short cameo on par with Valkyrie’s appearance in The Marvels. That’s just speculation on my part, though. Plus, the report doesn’t necessarily mean the cameo will happen. The source could be wrong, or the film could go through last-minute edits.
Still, B-15 would be a welcome addition to the cast, especially since her character is so important to the new and improved TVA. If Deadpool & Wolverine takes place after Loki season 2, then it would make sense to show her helping to lead the TVA’s new mission.
(featured image: Disney+)
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On Monday morning, Marvel Studios — via Reynolds — dropped a trailer for the upcoming Deadpool & Wolverine, teasing the third Deadpool movie with plenty of salty language, explosions and fighting between the real-life pals.
“Hi peanut,” Deadpool says in the trailer’s opening as he approaches a barfly Wolverine, who’s apparently drowning his sorrows in a dark pub.
“I’m going to need you to come with me right now,” he adds, in a pitch to recruit Wolverine to help him save the world.
Set to Madonna’s 1989 hit Like a Prayer, the trailer proves why the new movie marks Marvel Studios’ first R-rated film — numerous F-bombs and a painful claws-to-the-groin moment all happen within the first minute.
The other big reveal is that Deadpool and Wolverine will go up against one of X-Men’s most dangerous villains of all time, Cassandra Nova, played by The Crown’s Emma Corrin.
Many might be feeling the weight of superhero fatigue. The quantity of superhero films is exceeding the quality of those movies. Out of all the heroes, the only one that seems exempt from that feeling is Deadpool 3, now officially titled Deadpool & Wolverine. Fans are extremely excited about the return of the Merc with the Mouth. We will get to see Ryan Reynolds back in Deadpool’s iconic red suit. Not to mention it will also be the return of Hugh Jackman as Wolverine (in a comic book-accurate costume!) It will also be the official entry of the X-Men (and all the other beloved mutants) into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. There’s a lot to be excited about.
Now that Deadpool & Wolverine has a trailer out and several minutes of footage screened at CinemaCon 2024, details have started to come out about the film, including its villain. We know that Deadpool and Wolverine will team up to help save the multiverse from a threat, and Emma Corrin (The Crown, My Policeman) is reportedly playing the role of the villainous Cassandra Nova. Cassandra is a majorly powerful villain in the X-Men comic books, with a complicated history and a wicked personality.
Here’s everything we know about Cassandra Nova!
Who is Cassandra Nova?
Created by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely, Cassandra Nova first appeared in New X-Men #114 (2001). Cassandra is called a “Mummudrai” by the Shi’ar. This means she is the exact equal and polar opposite of another person. In her case, Cassandra’s opposite is her twin brother—the ultra-powerful Professor Charles Xavier, leader of the X-Men. Yes, Charles Xavier was a twin. And it just gets weirder from there! Even as a fetus, Xavier was apparently so powerful that he had consciousness and thought. In the womb, he felt the evil of his twin and tried to kill her with his psychic powers.
The battle caused early labor (!?) and the doctors believed Cassandra to be stillborn. But this is the comic book universe where no one ever truly dies, so Cassandra used her mental powers to rebuild her cells until her body was restored. After she was whole, Cassandra used her abilities to seek revenge against her brother and anyone else who crosses her path. Being the antithesis of Charles Xavier without his compassion sets her up to be a great villain for the MCU. Besides her powers, her convoluted and strange origins are something that only Deadpool could make work.
In the story arc of the limited X-Men Red (2018) series, Cassandra is featured as the main villain. Tapping into racist hate breeding online, Cassandra builds a “hate machine” to make her more powerful. Although the series can be a little heavy-handed at times, it is one of my favorites. Everything Jean Grey and her team through at her doesn’t seem to work. They finally defeat her by injecting her with empathy, so she can feel the pain of the world rather than fuel the anger. Laura and Gabrielle Kinney (my favorite Wolverine clones) play a major part in taking down Cassandra. Cassandra’s plan in X-Men Red would fit well in Deadpool & Wolverine, using real-world drama, but ratcheted it up for an over-the-top supervillain. And maybe that means Wolverine’s clone kids will be entering the MCU right alongside their “dad.”
Has Cassandra already entered the MCU?
With X-Men ’97 currently streaming on Disney+, there has been speculation that Cassandra is already in the MCU—but not onscreen quite yet.
Episode 5 of X-Men ’97, “Remember It,” adapts a storyline from the comics in which the mutant nation of Genosha is destroyed by sentinels. In the comics, Cassandra is the one pulling the strings and ensuring Genosha’s demise. Could the same be true in X-Men ’97? If so, could Cassandra’s appearance in the series pave the way for her live-action debut in Deadpool & Wolverine?
We’ll have to wait and see!
(featured image: Marvel)
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