There’s no denying that the marketing techniques of Deadpool were not brilliantly executed, but the massive critical and financial success came pretty unexpectedly. Marvel continues to pick very wise projects, as well as the filmmakers who helm them, and luckily their partnership with 20th Century Fox in planning Deadpool was just another strong mark. And some may see the raunchy, graphic and trash-talking aspects of the film to be the reason why it was such hit. But president of Marvel Kevin Feige thinks otherwise.
He believes that the great results were due to the skill of the filmmakers and cast, and that the character was very different than what audiences, especially in the superhero genre, had been exposed to over the past few years. In a recent interview with Deadline, Feige explained his thoughts about how the R-rated persona of Deadpool was not what made it reach the success that it did.
The thing that Deadpool shows is, when you present something unique to an audience, they will respond to it. When you present something as popular as a superhero character, in a different and unique and crazy way as they did in Deadpool, it demands attention and audiences went to it. They pulled it off. Tim Miller did a tremendous job.
It’s important to recognize someone like director Tim Miller as major part of its positive reaction, and also the casting of Ryan Reynolds as the titular character was another strength to the film. Feige went on to discuss that while people like Miller and Reynolds were integral, one of the other success reasons was because of staying true to the source material.
The other secret, and why it’s still a secret, I don’t know, but they just took what Deadpool is in the comics. He breaks the fourth wall. He talks into the camera. He doesn’t give a sh*t about any of the other heroes. He doesn’t take anything seriously. All of that is what made Deadpool so popular in the comics. Tim and [Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick] and Ryan Reynolds were able to get that and even magnify that up on the big screen. We’ve always said if there’s any ‘secret’ it’s respect the source material, understand the source material and then, any adaptation you make from the source material should be done only to enhance whatever the original pure spirit of the source material was. Deadpool hit on all cylinders with that.
So, even though it’s an obvious reason, not every film of its kind, nor many other blockbusters, have stuck to what makes the story, character, and tone so enticing and unique. And after the successes of Deadpool and, just recently, Captain America: Civil War, Marvel doesn’t appear to be slowing down whatsoever. Which is a smart move considering the continuing expansions the studio is making to their cinematic universe.
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