Additional Coverage:
- Ryan Reynolds had so much faith in ‘Deadpool’ he ‘let go of getting paid.’ Now the franchise is worth over $1 billion. (newsbreak.com)
At a recent London photocall for “Deadpool & Wolverine,” Ryan Reynolds shared that he forfeited his salary from the original “Deadpool” film to ensure his co-writers could be present during production. The 2016 film was a financial success, generating $782 million globally and sparking a franchise now valued at over $1 billion.
With heightened expectations, industry experts predict that the upcoming sequel, featuring both Reynolds’ Deadpool and Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine, could alone earn $1 billion. This new installment marks the characters’ entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe after Disney’s acquisition of Fox.
Reynolds, speaking to The New York Times, emphasized his commitment to the project’s quality by financing his co-writers’ on-set presence out of his own pocket. He highlighted that constraints in budget and time, rather than hindering the film, actually enhanced its focus on character development over spectacle. Reynolds commented on the often excessive budgets of blockbuster movies, suggesting they can stifle creativity.
The success of “Deadpool” also paved the way for R-rated comic book films like 2017’s “Logan” and 2019’s “Joker,” the latter of which became the first R-rated film to gross over $1 billion at the box office. Rob Mitchell from Gower Street Analytics remarked on Reynolds’ financial gamble, noting that while actors often invest in their own projects, it’s rarer in superhero franchises.
Mitchell also highlighted that the success of “Deadpool” demonstrated to studios that there is a market for more adult-oriented comic book movies. With the precedent set, anticipation is high for the financial performance of “Deadpool & Wolverine.”