We are now getting closer and closer to the release of Deadpool & Wolverine, the next film entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which will see the long-awaited returns of Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman as the titled characters. Although the discourse will likely be insufferable (most notably the hundreds of articles and YouTube videos about whether or not the film “saved” the MCU), this should be a fun time in it’s own right if it can live up to the buddy cop premise that it promises itself to be. However, I think it’s best to take a step back in the time capsule about how a Deadpool movie even existing is a miracle within itself. Not necessarily because just about any big movie that has ever gotten made is a miracle but particularly the circumstances surrounding the production of the first Deadpool movie, particularly what it took for Fox to actually greenlight it and give it that hard R-rating that fans wanted. We have to go back to practically the beginning of the 21st century to get the full dive-in the production of Deadpool.
Back in May 2000, Artisan Entertainment announced a deal with Marvel to co-produce, finance, and distribute several films based off of Marvel Comics’ characters, including Deadpool. It wasn’t until nearly four years later in February 2004 where there was any active development of a Deadpool movie, with David S. Goyer and Ryan Reynolds being attached to the project, both of whom worked together on the Marvel film, Blade: Trinity. Ryan became interested in playing Deadpool after learning that the character was refereed to in the comics as “Ryan Reynolds crossed with a Shar-Pei”, compelling him to get the movie made. However, there were rights issues with 20th Century Fox and the X-Men films, which halted the project completely.
About a year later in March 2005, Ryan learned that Fox might have changed their mind and were once again interest in a film featuring Deadpool. However, it wasn’t until 2009’s X-Men: Origins Wolverine where he finally got casted in the role of Wade Wilson/Deadpool and be given a chance to play as the character he’s wanting to for so long. While originally meant to be a cameo, his role would be expanded later on in production of the film, leaving room for a potential future spin-off movie for that version of Deadpool. Unfortunately, the film’s portrayal deviated HEAVILY from the original comic character.
There were decisions made with the character of Deadpool in Origins: Wolverine that INFURIATED not just the fans but Ryan Reynolds. Elements such as giving him illogical superpowers, no comic accurate suits, lack of funny one-liners, and worst of all, sewing his mouth complete shut. Ryan was against the majority of the choices made but was forced to go along with it after being blackmailed by the studio execs into having the character recast if he didn’t keep his mouth shut (no pun intended).
Despite the negative reception of X-Men Origins: Wolverine, it’s strong opening weekend at the box office encourages plans for a Deadpool standalone movie. Ryan would be attached to the project along with X-Men producer Lauren Shuler Donner. The spin-off would ignore the version that was presented in Origins: Wolverine and return the character back to his well-known comic suits, with a slapstick tone and plenty of fourth wall breaks. This project would be in the work for the next two years, with Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick helming the script, Tim Miller attached to make his feature directorial debut with it, and Ryan Reynolds being in the background to make sure everything was coming together.
The project would later be halted again after Green Lantern released in 2011, which starred Ryan Reynolds himself and was a critical and financial disappointment. Fox executives were already nervous about releasing a superhero film that was R-rated and the fact that Ryan himself as had quite a losing streak with comic book movies such as Blade: Trinity, X-Men: Origins Wolverine, and now Green Lantern didn’t help wonders either.
After Ryan and Tim Miller had several meetings with Fox, the studio did agree to give them a low-six-figure budget to product some test footage to see if a R-Rated Deadpool film could translate on the big screen. Miller would use CGI from his animation company Blur Studio in 2012, with Ryan voicing Deadpool himself. When presenting the footage to Fox, it did not convince them to greenlight the film. Just like that, the production was halted once again.
In the same year of 2012, The Avengers released in May and became the third highest-grossing film of all time. While some attached to the Deadpool project thought that would help pick serious momentum after it being in development hell for nearly a decade up to that point, Fox became even more doubtful of a R-Rated Deadpool movie working. Because of that, Fox began exploring ways to include Deadpool in an Avengers-like team-up film. Considering the fact that this was still years before Disney would own Fox, it would be pretty difficult to find popular Marvel superheroes outside of ones that Fox already own such as the X-Men and Fantastic Four to make a movie like that work. Yet again, it seems as though the project was still far away from having any actual development.
Despite having plenty of supporters over a Deadpool movie, even from some highly notable directors in Hollywood such as James Cameron and David Fincher, Fox still did not want to pull the trigger and give the proper and faithful Deadpool movie that his fans have been wanting for years now. It was at this point where it seems like a Deadpool movie was just never going to see the light of day. Due to a mix of studio politics and results of prior projects with some of the crew attached to it, it just felt like a Deadpool movie was never meant to be. Already so much time and effort had been wasted to a movie that was never officially greenlighted and it might be better off for everyone to just move on to other things. But then in July of 2014, the unthinkable happened.
Right around the time of Comic-Con in 2014, that test footage that Ryan Reynolds and Tim Miller made together two years prior got leaked all over the internet. The test footage mostly acted as a template to the opening action sequence in the final finished film. Deadpool is on a highway where he makes quips, slice and dices up some bad guys, flips the car open, and turns to the camera to break the fourth wall, with the cherry on top being Deadpool dropping an F bomb at the end along with Angel in the Morning playing in the background.
This leaked test footage absolutely BROKE the internet! Everyone and their mother went absolute BANANAS over it! THAT right there was Deadpool! Those two minutes of test footage along felt more like Deadpool than ANY scene with him in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. This got Marvel fans so fired up and excited that it led to plenty assuming that a Deadpool movie was in the works. Despite Fox denying Ryan and friends a chance to make a hard R Deadpool movie for the past decade now, they just had to yes now, right?! With the MASSIVE acclaim this two minute-long test footage alone got, this had to be a sign that a Deadpool movie was made to exist. And as it turns out, that was exactly what the cast and crew needed to get Fox to FINALLY say Yes!
About a month after the test footage was leaked, Fox confirmed that a Deadpool movie would be in the works and they gave it a release date of February 12, 2016. At long last, Ryan Reynolds, Tim Miller, and everyone else who has been attached to this project for so long would finally get a chance to make the Deadpool movie they have wanted to make since at least the mid 2000s. All it took was for someone to leak test footage to get Fox to finally greenlight the project.
It has never been stated who exactly was the one who leaked the footage. Ryan Reynolds has gone on records saying that he, miller, and the writers had previously discussed leaking the test footage themselves, with Ryan initially thinking Miller had done it but that was also never confirmed. He later believed the leak came from someone at Fox but no name has ever come out on who was responsible for the test footage coming out. Even so, Fox did agree to have an R-rated Deadpool movie made but Ryan and crew would have to do with a much smaller budget compared to most superhero films out there.
Deadpool finally released in February of 2016 to strong critical acclaim from critics and fans alike. It was able to gross over 782 million dollars worldwide, becoming the highest grossing X-Men film and the highest grossing R-rated film at the time it came out. Despite the concerns from Fox about an R-rated hurting the sales and quality of the movie, it turned out to be a massive hit. One that eventually lead to a sequel two years later and a third one, subtitled Deadpool & Wolverine, that is set to come out at the end of this month.
When looking back on the production history of Deadpool, I think you got an understanding as to why the film’s existence is a miracle in the first place. Not strictly because of it being in development hell for so long and the constant back-and-forth between the studio and Ryan Reynolds himself but the fact that it took leaked test footage to get the film made. All of this was possible because one brave soul out there was able to take time out of their day to leak test footage that went viral all over the internet. If it weren’t for that, there could be a strong chance this film didn’t get made at all.
A strong chance that Ryan Reynolds and Tim Miller wouldn’t be able to make the Deadpool movie they wanted to make. A strong chance that Fox would have passed on hundreds of millions of dollars and found the next big superhero hit franchise for them. A strong chance that the character couldn’t be brought into the MCU and eventually be in a movie alongside Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine. This all had a strong chance of NOT happening! And it was able to get that strong chance because of leaked test footage.
Between this and the backlash over Sonic’s movie design, I guess the internet still has some good use for itself after all. I think I have an idea for an upcoming piece right when the holidays roll around.
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