Deadpool starring Ryan Reynolds grossed a record-breaking $135 million over a long Valentine’s Day/Presidents Day weekend and became one of the best showings of all time for a superhero movie.
An R- rated film, Deadpool is an unconventional portryal of a superhero. Replete with vulgarity and nudity, the movie is about a man named Wade Wilson (aka Deadpool), a witty mercenary nicknamed “The Merc With the Mouth” who is bestowed with some powers after he undergoes an experimental treatment for cancer. Wilson feels betrayed as he receives a disfigured face and vows to take a revenge.
As reported by The Hollywood Reporter,
“Heading into the weekend, Deadpool was tipped to earn $65 million to $75 million, but it quickly turned into a sensation at the multiplex, with estimates constantly being revised upward. Deadpool’s three-day number makes it the No. 7 comic book opening of all time behind the two The Avengers movies, Iron Man 3, the final two Dark Knight films and Spider-Man 3, not accounting for inflation.”
It’s a huge success especially for Ryan Reynolds who went for rigorous marketing for this film. Interestingly, the figures are a huge contrast to what was set for the making of film. It took Reynolds a great deal of time to convince Fox to make the X-Men spin-off his way that is, R-rated. Though Fox agreed but kept the net budget at the modest $58 million.
The crown for biggest R-rated opening previously belonged to The Matrix Reloaded ($91.8 million) which came out in 2003 and had the record for the longest time in box-office history.
“Deadpool is wildly creative and new, and that’s what audiences want,” said Fox domestic distribution chief Chris Aronson. “I think a lot of credit goes to [Fox CEO] Jim Gianopulos for having the courage to make this movie.”
More figures have yet to be released but judging from the opening show’s success, the figures are expected to be high.
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