Ryan Reynolds has gone on record several times to proclaim how proud he is of Deadpool’s underdog narrative, as it g rossed $363 million in North America and became the second highest-grossing R-rated film of all time. Now, in light of the film’s two Golden Globe nominations — one for Best Picture and another for Best Actor in Ryan Reynolds — Reynolds reveals to Deadline how the film’s limited financial means inspired creativity and resonated with viewers.
“It’s important to note that in regards to Deadpool’s narrative material, the film came along at exactly the right time,” Reynolds explained. “There’s been a lot of superhero films that have been brilliant, and there’s a seriousness and darkness to them. At the end of the day, it’s about guys walking around in tights. Deadpool took these tropes and usurped them in inventive ways.”
Deadpool to its credit relished the irreverent tone of the source material while also providing surprising pathos in its main character.
One anecdote Reynolds has been sharing for some time was a story of how the opening scene in which Deadpool counts off 12 bullets to use in a fight scene was actually a necessity of budget constraints.
“Necessity is the mother of invention … In the scene where Deadpool says he only has 12 bullets left and doesn’t have any guns, it’s because we couldn’t afford them. We learned to squeak by on every last penny,” revealed Reynolds.
Earlier this year, Deadpool director Tim Miller exited the sequel, citing “creative differences,” something Reynolds revealed was a result of Miller’s vision being too costly and being too close to the big budget superhero films Reynolds softly criticizes. This accusation however, was recently refuted by Miller.
Either way, it’s clear that Reynolds as a producer for the film values the franchise’s humble roots and intends to keep Deadpool small on budget, but big on ideas.
Deadpool 2 is slated for a 2018 release.
